On the Beach
by FuryanJedi13
Summary: After returning to Earth, John and a now-human Cortana are trying to find ways to work out their frustrations. A chance meeting with each other on the beach provides a very ideal solution...
1. On the Beach

**I got this idea from reading an article in my favourite men's magazine, ZOO Weekly. Every now and then a model would tell stories of some of her 'experiences', but I'm thinking a lot of them are exaggerated, or even written by someone else to make things seem a little bit sexier. Nonetheless, I used one of them to make this fic about one of our favourite couples.**

**WARNING: It IS an M-rated fic.**

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On the Beach

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INTRO

It was in the late spring when things finally started to warm up, and there were many people who chose to take advantage of this. One in particular was a woman who was still new to the human experience. Understandably, having previously spent her whole existence as an Artificial Intelligence, whose appearance to everybody else was nothing more than a hologram, the simple yet intricate aspects of human living were all new and fascinating to her. Admittedly, her hologram had been rather appealing to look at, particularly to males, but it still did not compare to being an actual person. Fortunately, her new physical form looked just like her hologram, except without the blue tinge to it, so her physical beauty remained as obvious and appealing as it had always been.

Another change that came with transitioning from computer program to organic being was the impact of certain emotions. Sure, even AI were prone to feeling things like happiness, sadness, and of course, love. They felt these emotions about themselves and towards the people they cared about, but they still did not have a body, and as a result, they never had to deal with the chemical responses that came with it. Responses that prompted intense feelings of sheer desire and a need to be fulfilled on a physical basis. But once they became human, they were forced to confront these, just like a teenager going through puberty.

This particular woman was no exception. And when her mind wandered to these amorous places, there was one individual, and one individual only, whom she felt these intense desires towards. A man who was known to his allies as a great warrior, and to his former enemies as a demon. A man who wore a powerful suit of armour, which she had actually interfaced with and been housed inside when she was still an AI. And yet, this man was no less imposing when he was out of it. In fact, when he was out of it, her desires became all the more peaked.

Not only that, but he desired her too. Sure, he was schooled from a very young age to exercise restraint and control in every situation, but those who knew him best knew of his feelings towards her. The looks he made in her direction, the oh-so-subtle changes in his breathing when she was around, or when he even thought about her. To everyone else, he seemed to be a mask of coolness at all times. But to those who truly knew him, he might as well have been breaking out in sweat.

It was actually kind of funny. In his teens, he and his so-called brothers and sisters had been biochemically augmented to become the prime physical specimens they were now, and one of the drawbacks of that had been a reduced sex drive. But strangely, their bodies, or at least his, had finally managed to negate that little factor, and as a result, all those years of repressed sexuality and hormones had finally rushed back to hit him with the force of a Brute's gravity hammer.

But despite their talents and intelligence, they had an annoying habit of being dense. Instead, they tried to work off their frustrations in the ways they knew how. She by using her unbelievable brainpower, and he by working out and training. They could not really be blamed though. They were only just starting to experience their sexuality, and yet nobody taught them how to find a proper outlet.

Naturally, those around them could only shake their heads and feel a strong urge to slap them across the back of the head.

Fortunately, things changed after one day on the beach…

* * *

HER

As she made he way across the dunes, Cortana breathed in the crisp and salty air wafting in from the crashing waves. It was now the middle of spring, and the temperature was just starting to warm up. The last few weeks had still held the cool remnants of the passing winter, and the next few would foreshadow the scorching summer that was around the corner, but now it was just perfect.

Sighing, Cortana reflected on recent events. It had been a year since she and John had returned to Earth, after spending years just floating out in the nether regions of space. Just a couple of months afterwards, she had been informed of a process that had been developed by UNSC scientists; a process that would transfer her consciousness into that of a living human body. It was something that would save an AI and grant them potentially decades of life instead of just a few years.

Having just beginning to succumb to the first stages of rampancy, Cortana had undergone the procedure, thus saving her from a certain death, and allowing her to experience life as a normal human. The donor DNA had come from her creator, Catherine Halsey.

But nothing could have prepared her for the sudden onrush of all these emotions, particularly, the ones that she felt towards John. She had always found him to be… intriguing, and in so many ways, but now she had this intense and unmitigated _desire_ towards him. Granted, Cortana knew all about sex. Even as an AI, she had still been essentially human, and sex was a necessary process for the race's reproduction. It was only in her later years as an AI that she truly began to understand the other aspects attached to it: love, desire, pleasure, and the like. But she had been just a hologram back then. Such things were not important to her.

And then she became human, and all of a sudden, those things did become important. Just looking at John made her stomach flutter and her knees weaken. Every time he touched her, her skin felt as though it were burning with an unquenchable fire, even if he had simply touched her shoulder through the fabric of her clothes.

These things frustrated Cortana. She was meant to infiltrate computer systems, sort information, translate data, and the like. Even as a human, she still possessed these abilities, albeit on a different level. These things she understood. Things like these intense feelings and desires had always been beyond her. Not now, though.

One thing she did enjoy, however, was the sensation of touch. Artificial Intelligences usually did not possess this. They had sight and hearing, but not the other three. They may have had chemical analysers to assist in the way of taste and smell, but tangible contact was out of their range completely. Upon becoming human and acquiring these new senses, Cortana had been utterly intrigued by them. Smell was amazing, taste was even more so, but her favourite was definitely touch. It added a whole new dimension to her existence. Right now, she could physically feel the clothes on her body, the warmth of the sun on her face, and the sand beneath her feet.

Cortana remembered the moment when she experienced the best part of touch. She had been taking a shower, and for the first time, she noticed that it felt weird against her skin. Not a bad kind of weird, but a good kind. She also like the feeling of her hands against her skin, and she decided to do a little experimenting of her own. This served to increase the good feeling, and before long, she started to feel a slight trembling sensation in her body. She continued her ministrations, and soon she felt what could be best described as a well of pleasure building up inside her. Eventually, this had reached its peak, and Cortana experienced some kind of explosion of sheer pleasure. It was only by clamping a hand over her mouth that stopped her from crying out loud.

It was later on that Cortana realised she had experienced her first orgasm. And a little voice inside her head seemed to say _you are finally a woman now_. She suddenly became intrigued with the idea of experiencing many more of the sexual pleasures, particularly those done with another person. And there was only one individual who Cortana wanted to do it with: John.

Unfortunately, John seemed more clueless in this area than she was. Not that surprising, since his augmentations had reduced his sex drive. Still, she caught the subtle glances he sent her way, and every now and then, she would actually brush up against him, ostensibly by accident. And yet, it was enough to make him falter in his tracks. This showed that she did have an effect on him in that way. Unfortunately, those sorts of movements were not enough when Cortana was feeling the way she did. And as much as she wanted to bring the topic up with him, she had no idea how to do so or how he would possibly react. It was downright frustrating.

Cortana groaned in frustration. Lamenting on the problem would not help solve it. Besides, she wanted to just relax at the moment. Looking around, she determined that she had found an ideal spot. The beach was nearby the UNSC base where she and John were both stationed, but far enough away so as to guarantee a little bit of privacy. Even so, she looked for a part in the dunes where it was depressed enough to be surrounded, ensuring that anyone there would be hidden. Nonetheless, Cortana looked around the area to make sure that nobody was around. The only other person was about a kilometre away. Perfect.

Heading back into the dip in the sand, Cortana unpacked her bag. She took her towel and laid it out on the sand. After that, she stood back up and started to undress. On base, she usually wore a newer variant of the UNSC officer uniform, which possesses a zip that ran down the front. Sizes were determined by the wearer, but Cortana often chose to wear one that fitted her curvaceous figure; another decision made to get a response from John.

Cortana pulled down the front zip, then peeled the top off. She sighed as she felt the warm wind caress the naked flesh of her chest, her shoulders, her abdomen, her breasts… She dropped the top on the sand, and now topless, she unzipped her pants before pushing them down her firm and toned legs. On days like this, she wore no underwear. It was just her perfect form, once only a hologram, now flesh, blood, and beauty.

Now completely naked, Cortana picked up her sunscreen and proceeded to apply it to her skin. Although she was in the mood for sunbathing and maybe getting a tan, she had no interest in getting sunburnt. Or worse, a melanoma.

Running her sunscreen-coated hands over her legs, her stomach, her sizeable breasts, Cortana once again felt the tingling of pleasure inside her being, and her mind was teased with images of John. Grunting, she clamped down. As much as she would have liked him to do this to her, he was not here right now. And unless either of them wised up and made some changes, it was unlikely that situation would ever occur in the future.

After applying the sunscreen, Cortana lay back and let the rays of the mid-spring sun wash over her nude form. Closing her eyes, she tried her best to push images of John and his impressive muscular form out of her mind. Right now, all she wanted to do was unwind, relax, and forget all of her current troubles.

Fortunately, a more appealing solution was in the process of making its way towards her…

* * *

HIM

A kilometre away, the lone figure that Cortana had previously spotted in the distance continued in his run down the beach. Anyone noticing him at this point would not stop to think that this was the man who was largely responsible for the saving of the human race. But then, those who did not know him very well would not have recognised him without his green MJOLNIR armour. Instead, he wore a dark grey t-shirt, dark blue shorts and sneakers. But there was no doubting his identity. He was the Master Chief; the most famous and infamous of all Spartans. John-117.

And the man who haunted Cortana's erotic dreams and fantasies.

Ironically, John himself had been feeling stressed out, and so he had gone for a ten-kilometre run along the coast in an effort to burn off some of the excess tension he was feeling. After doing a run like that, most human beings would be gasping and falling over in exhaustion. But John was a Spartan. They were not ordinary humans. He was barely breathing heavy.

And unfortunately, it had done practically nothing to ease his tension. If anything, he remained as frustrated as ever. Slowing his pace to a brisk walk, John muttered under his breath, occasionally tossing in a swear word. He hated these feelings that were currently running roughshod through his mind.

In the time since the end of the war, those who had once served in the military had tried to find another avenue for them to live their lives. Soldiers were not exactly wanted now, so the time had come to pursue other goals. The problem was, John was a Spartan, a professional soldier. That had been his life ever since he had been inducted into the program at the age of six. Finding another career was not an option for him. And unfortunately, the lack of action had left him with a lot of time to wonder.

When his AI partner Cortana had gotten a human body, John had been absolutely thrilled. He had such a close bond with her, and he would have been shattered had she just broken down and died. But an unexpected occurrence had been that seeing Cortana as a human, gazing over the perfect form of her new body, hearing the sound of her voice, and just being near her, had awakened something inside him. The Spartan augmentation program had actually decreased his libido, but now, it seemed to be returning. He had no possible explanation for why it was happening, all he knew was that his sex drive had come back with a vengeance, and it caused him to set his sights firmly on Cortana.

The problem was, John had skills that allowed him to handle weapons, drive all sorts of vehicles, and cause virtually every form of havoc possible. In short, skills that were valuable in a war. But he had next to no skills in regards to romance or sex. He knew all about them, of course, but he just did not know how to use them. It made him feel like a clumsy, idiotic teenager. He had never felt so embarrassed before in his life.

So John had attempted to work out his mounting frustrations the only way he knew how; by continuing to train and make himself an ideal soldier, even though the war was long over and he was already the epitome of an ideal soldier. His fellow Spartans could only shake their heads in frustration. Even they had found other outlets beyond soldiering, and had also started to date other people, so they had managed to get through their sexual issues just fine. They could plainly see that John and Cortana wanted each other badly, but it annoyed them to no end how they did not hook up and get it over with.

John stopped walking and bent over to catch his breath, even though his heart rate had remained steady and he barely started to sweat. This was getting him nowhere! He was supposed to be able to handle anything, and yet he could not even tell the woman he was in love with that he cared about her greatly? That he wanted to experience the full aspect of a physical relationship with her? He had killed thousands of enemies and blown up more of their infrastructure than he could pay to replace in his whole career, and yet he could not woe a woman!

If the Covenant knew about this, they would certainly be second-guessing the demon reputation they had bestowed upon him.

Sighing, John started walking back in the direction of the UNSC base. His tension as high as it had been when he had started his run. He trudged through the sand, not really paying attention as to where he was headed, eventually making his way into the dunes, the sandy terrain swallowing up any sound his footfalls might have made.

His mind continued to race. _This is ridiculous, John_, he thought. _Just tell Cortana how you feel!_ And yet another part thought that maybe he should not do that. After about a minute of the two halves of his mind battling with each other, John finally made the decision to just suck it up and talk to Cortana. It might not resolve all of their issues, but at the very least, it would be a start.

Just as John came to this decision, he crested the top of a sand dune, and was met with a sight he could not have predicted. Cortana was lying there on a towel, sunbathing. And she had not a stitch of clothing on her! Obviously she had chosen this spot because of the privacy, and it had been a sheer accident that he had stumbled upon her. Yet, her beautiful form was there for John to see. The nicely toned legs, her flat stomach, and those perfectly curvaceous breasts. John immediately felt his manhood grow hard at the sight.

For a moment, John felt tempted to turn back and leave her to her privacy. Obviously, she had not expected for anyone to stumble across her, and she did not seem to notice his presence. He could just go back, and she'd be none the wiser.

_And break the promise you made to yourself, what, one minute ago?_ A voice in his head asked. _This would have to be the most perfect moment for you to act on your impulses, and if you walk away right now, you will definitely regret it, perhaps even for the rest of your life._ John felt like shushing it, but another one told him that he had already blown a lot of opportunities with Cortana, and yet this one was probably the best one he could have asked for.

_Exactly, numbnuts_, the voice in his head taunted him again. _You know you want her, and it seems pretty damn obvious that she wants you too. So why the hell don't you just go over and make your move? It's either that, or continue putting up with these frustrating feelings. And if you choose the latter, you can be damn sure that those feelings are going to make you regret walking away from this moment. Do you want that? Do you? Or do you want Cortana instead?_ The last sentence was delivered in a very suggestive tone of voice.

As a professional soldier, John had seldom had time to listen to the little voice in his head, so he never figured that it would sound like this; all provocative and abrasive. Still, it did make a very good point. And before he knew it, his feet started to walk him towards the beautiful woman lying on the towel.

* * *

THEM

Cortana felt a shock run through her being as she sensed a shadow falling across her naked form. Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up, her arms coming across her chest to cover up her breasts. In a split second, she felt embarrassment, annoyance, and a whole slew of negative emotions. She looked up and saw that her intruder was none other than the man she had been fantasising about for so long. John. Her embarrassment remained, but it was quickly giving way to other emotions. More appealing emotions.

Cortana looked over John's form as he stood over her. He was decked out in a t-shirt and shorts, and had the faintest trace of sweat over his muscular body. Obviously, he had been working out. She also noticed the slight bulge in his shorts, and a faint smile touched her lips at the thought of her body eliciting such a response from his. A thought occurred to her that she might finally be able to get that which she had been craving for so long.

A similar thought was in John's head as well, and it was actually impairing his ability to speak. Steeling himself mentally, he pushed through it, and he felt his apprehension start to melt away, gradually being replaced by his trademark confidence. He raised his eyebrow and turned up the corner of his lip in a grin. "Might I ask what you are doing here, Cortana?" he asked with a bit of levity, hoping that it would provoke the right response from the former AI.

It seemed to work. Although she kept her arms over her naked chest, Cortana gave a smile that was a little bit lusty in nature. "Oh, nothing much," she replied. "I'm just out here working on my tan."

"I can see that," John commented, his voice starting to take on a huskier tone. "I'm just wondering as to why you are here, all alone, working on your full body tan."

"Well, I… I don't really like tan lines," Cortana said, ever so slowly taking her arms away from her chest, exposing her breasts again. She heard John's breath catch a little at their sight, and she knew that she was having the desired effect on him. "I mean, I have this new body of mine, and I don't see why I can't get it tanned all over." She placed her hand on the ground, supporting her as she leaned back a little, presenting herself into something of a model's pose, her firm ample breasts thrust out slightly.

John did not think he could have gotten more aroused than had been, but the sight of Cortana presenting her body like that, almost as a blatant invitation, made it so. His grin became wider, and a bit lecherous. "Oh no, I totally agree with you there," he said playfully. "After all, you have a perfectly beautiful body, so why shouldn't you?" Cortana grinned at this. "In fact, if you want, I am willing to offer to rub sunscreen on you." John paused for emphasis. "Unless you want me to do something else for you?"

That did it for Cortana. She had to have him there and then. She wanted him to take her and make her his own. Slowly, she stood up, keeping her body close to his. There was still a noticeable difference in height between the two, so she looked up into John's eyes. "Well, now that you mention it," she purred, "I think 'something else' sounds like more fun." She stood up on her toes, and gently touched her lips to his. John responded in kind, one of his arms coming around the back of Cortana's perfect nude form and holding her closer to his body.

Through their close proximity, Cortana could feel John's hardness pressing up against her, and her mind reeled with the possibilities even as her lips and tongues battled for dominance in their passionate kiss. The former AI ran a soft hand down the Spartan's muscular chest before slipping it into his shorts and gently grasping the hard form.

John broke away from the kiss and gave a grin. "You like what you feel?" he asked huskily.

"Mmm, very much so," she replied sensually.

"Well then, let me return the favour." He reached down with his hands and cupped Cortana's breasts. They were D-cup sized, just large enough without being too large, with a very nice weight to them, and both firm and supple enough. He gently squeezed them, making her moan softly in pleasure. The moans turned into gasps when John leaned down and began kissing and licking them, running his lips and tongue over the mounds and then the erect pink nipples. He did this with the right one first, then repeated the process with the left.

Cortana moaned and tilted her head back in pleasure as John's mouth explored her body. As he finished his ministrations, she reached down to the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head, tossing it off to the side. Looking at his muscular torso, the former AI was struck with a maelstrom of mixed emotions. She was amazed by the sheer musculature of John's form, as well as feeling a bit of sympathy for the various scars and battle wounds that crisscrossed it. She knew that he was a Spartan, and as such, war was his way of life, but it still shocked and saddened her that one man could endure so much pain.

And yet, that very man was still alive, holding her in his arms lovingly, and showering her with romantic touches. This just served to reinforce the erotic feelings that she had towards him. Leaning forward, Cortana pressed her lips to his chest, kissing and running her tongue over the many scars. The flesh on most of these was already more sensitive than most other parts due to the scar tissue, and this served to actually enhance the feeling of Cortana's actions. This caused John to lean his head back a little as well, closing his eyes, and feel the waves of pleasure that this little, yet amazingly powerful, woman bestowed upon him.

Once only an Artificial Intelligence, less than six inches tall, and now a human woman, still shorter and not as physically strong as he, and yet she succeeded in bringing him to his knees emotionally.

As Cortana kissed down his chest to the hardened six-pack of his abdomen, she hooked her fingers into the bands of his shorts and the underwear he had on underneath, sliding them down his muscular legs. His stiff manhood sprung out in front of Cortana, and she gasped at the sight of it. Admittedly, she had been well aware of his… physical attributes before. Being his AI, she knew the composition, strength, size and so on off all his body parts, but she was still surprised at the size of John's member. It was about 9 inches (25 cm) long, and possessed an impressive girth.

"You know," she said coyly, looking back up into his eyes, "you cut an impressive and imposing figure, whether in your armour or not. I wonder if that was an indication as to the size of what you had in your pants." She punctuated her sentence by gently wrapping her hand around his manhood and slowly stroking it a few times.

John raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I am surprised with you, Cortana. I had no idea that you knew how to talk dirty."

Cortana's eyes glinted. "Well, that's not as dirty as it could be, but still, I do what I can."

"Good enough for me," John replied as he gently laid her down on the towel. "I don't care how dirty you may be, I still think you are perfect. You were perfect when you were just a computer program, and you are perfect now." He gently eased her legs apart and positioned himself in between them. "Of course, being human definitely has more perks don't you think?"

Cortana sighed in happiness as she felt the tip of John's member brush up against the lips of her moist womanhood. "Oh absolutely, John," she replied breathlessly. "And I look forward to experiencing them over and over again." She pulled John's face closer to hers. "With you."

John leaned forward and captured Cortana's lips again in a passionate kiss. At the same time, he slowly eased his hips forward, felling his manhood slowly enter Cortana's warmth. The former AI moaned into John's mouth, experiencing a wave of sensation wash over her body. The hardness filled her, inflicting both pain and sheer pleasure throughout her entire being.

John continued to slide himself inside Cortana, inch by inch, until he managed to get the whole nine inches inside, burying himself to the hilt in her tantalising warmth. Her walls were firm and yet so soft; an amazing contrast that sent his mind spinning.

Cortana let out a soft whimper, and John pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. "Are you okay?" he asked in a gentle voice. As much he wanted to pleasure, he did not want to hurt her.

She nodded slightly. "I'm fine, John. Just… keep going."

He kissed her again before pulling his manhood most of the way out, then plunging it back inside her, eliciting another moan from her. Cortana wrapped her toned legs around John's waist, bringing him in further, deeper. With each successive thrust, the pain diminished, being replaced by pleasure. Pleasure that mounted with each moment. There was a gentle slapping sound as their hips met over and over again his their movements.

Cortana threw her head back, revelling in the feelings that the Spartan was inflicting upon her. Closing her eyes, she felt the building pleasure wash away the stress and frustration that she had been feeling lately. Had she known how wonderful such experiences were, she would certainly have acted upon them much sooner. But, that mattered little. Here she was, lying on a beach while the Chief made love to her, and that was all she cared about. Hell, she was not in a position to think of anything else at this point. It was just her, John, and the passion between them.

John was feeling the same. He had never stopped to think that sex would feel this… amazing! As he thrust into Cortana over and over again, her soft moans of ecstasy inspired him to thrust harder and faster, and he was all too willing to comply, occasionally letting out a grunt of his own. Looking down at the former construct, he saw her in all her beauty, and how her perfect form responded to his movements. Her breasts bouncing back and forth with each of his thrusts, her legs wrapped around him, urging him in deeper. He brought his face closer to hers, and she opened her eyes. The electric blue orbs held so much for him; her personality, her passion, and her love for him, the sheer _desire_ and lust of the situation. It was all he could do to restrain himself.

Cortana experienced the feeling building up inside her again. She remembered it from that time when she was alone in the shower. But now it was John who was doing it to her. Her breathing became heavier, and her moans got quicker. John knew that she was getting closer to the edge, and he could simply tell that she wanted it so badly. He was only too happy to apply. At the same time, he felt a throbbing sensation that alerted him to his own approaching climax. All rational thought left his mind, and he increased his tempo.

Cortana felt the pressure build up inside her, but she held back for as long as she could. She wanted this to be the best possible experience she ever had. Looking at John, she knew he was approaching his end as well, and the pleasure within her had reached a point where it could not be contained much longer, so she let go and let herself be taken over the edge. Cortana moaned loudly as she experienced her orgasm, every inch of her body clenching as the pleasure wracked through her, causing her to throw her head back again, and her legs to clench even tighter around John.

This was enough to push the Spartan over the edge as well, and he thrust inside her one last time, burying himself to the hilt and groaning loudly as he hit his own climax, feeling his body contract as he did so.

Cortana gasped as she felt spurt after spurt of John's hot liquid inside her. She moaned happily as she felt the Spartan empty himself into her. After a few moments, it became apparent that he had expended himself, and he relaxed, positioning himself on his arms so that he was still hovering above his lover, though they were still locked in their passionate embrace.

Neither one of them said anything for about a minute, just lying there, still joined together, looking deeply into each other's eyes, and basking in the afterglow of their extremely intimate session. Both feeling the intense happiness and relief at having finally experienced that which they had denied themselves for so long, as well as the exciting prospect that their relationship had progressed to a whole new and much more appealing level. More than that, both the Spartan and the former AI felt complete, _whole_. And it was indeed a wondrous thing.

It was Cortana who spoke up first. "Wow," she said in a quivering voice. "That was… I mean, um…"

John chuckled. "So the great Cortana has been rendered speechless, huh?"

Cortana swatted him on the arm, pushing him and making him roll on his on the sand next to her. This action also unjoined their two bodies. "Shut up, John," she snapped, though still smiling at the whole situation. "I just have to admit that this whole… episode was completely unexpected. I never figured that my first sexual experience would be an impulsive event on a beach. It was more… spontaneous than I expected."

"Cortana," John sighed happily, "I have to admit that I'm no expert on sex or love. But even I know that spontaneity can be a good thing. Sometimes it can even seem more romantic than planned ones. Of course, that does not mean one should go around screwing the first person they see." The two of them were now lying naked on the sand next to each other, looking into each other's eyes.

Cortana shook her head. "Trust me John, that was definitely _not_ my plan. There is no way that I would have hooked up willingly with anybody but you." She softened her voice. "You're my whole world."

John reached over and brushed some hair out of her face. "And you are mine," he said. He paused for a moment. "Still, I wonder what made us take so long to do this. I mean, let's face it, we both wanted this, so why wait so long?"

"Because, my dear Spartan," Cortana said lightly as she started to get up, "We are both unbelievably dense." She bent over to pick up her clothing, and started to put it back on. John sat back and watched her, simply admiring the sheer beauty of the woman who had just given herself to him.

"You heading back to base?" he asked.

"I am," she replied, zipping up her top. "And I hope to see you there again later on today."

John gave an exaggerated pout. "So I can't come back with you?"

"If they see us together, the others will get suspicious," Cortana explained, walking around him to get her towel.

"Oh please, they'll be able to know once they see the change in our attitudes. Hell, I've heard the other Spartans and even a few of the ODST guys have been running a betting pool as to when we finally got together!"

"Cortana groaned as she leaned down in front of her man. "Well, that just shows their level of maturity, doesn't it?" She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. "I'll come by your place later tonight," she said suggestively, then stood up and started to walk away.

"Does that mean we'll be doing a repeat performance?" John called out after her.

"Maybe," Cortana replied flippantly, making sure that her hips wiggled a little as she walked away, providing the Chief with a tantalising view.

John chuckled and started to put his clothing back on.

* * *

END

John's suspicions proved correct. As soon as Cortana got back to base, the other Spartans and a few of their newfound ODST friends could spot the very noticeable change in her demeanour. They suspected that she and the Chief had finally hooked up, but they decided to wait until he returned to see how he was acting. When he did, none were happier than Kelly, because she had just won the pool.

Neither John nor Cortana cared a great deal though. They were far too busy looking forward to that night.

* * *

**Okay, this was my first smut-fic, so try to be a little easy on me.**

**Other than that, hope it was okay.**


	2. In the Hog

**I had originally planned 'On the Beach' to be a one-shot, but since I got good reviews and requests for more, I figured 'why the hell not?', so here I go!**

**This one I actually got from another John/Cortana smut fic that, strangely enough, was never finished, and I haven't been able to find again. Nonetheless, I have made a couple of changes, and put my own spin on it. Hope you like it.**

* * *

**In the Hog**

There were many reasons why Cortana felt being an actual human had an advantage over being a simple AI. One of them included the wider variety of sensations that could be felt, such as the clean, crisp air and the wind rushing through her hair as the Warthog raced across the flat terrain.

Still, as impressive as all that was, it was not quite as appealing as the man sitting in the driver seat. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, Cortana ran her blue gaze over John's impressive form. His pose as he handled the Hog was one that was both focused and yet casual. He was capable of great strength and violence, but also of tenderness and care, and more than a fair share of passion.

Cortana knew that last part all too well, given the events that had started just a week prior.

Since the end of the Covenant War, UNSC scientists had developed and perfected a technology that allowed them to transfer the consciousness of an Artificial Intelligence into the mind of a cloned human body, thus saving them from the terrors of rampancy. Cortana had undergone this process, allowing her to start a new life as a walking, talking, living, and breathing human being.

But that had not been enough to prepare her for the sudden onslaught of intense desire and sexual attraction she had felt towards the Master Chief. Not knowing how to deal with such feelings, the former AI had buried herself in other pursuits, and that particular day, had decided to go to a secluded spot in the sand dunes for a little nude sunbathing. Closing her eyes, she had sat back and let the rays wash over her naked form, while trying to push her worries out of her mind.

But then fate, coincidence, or whatever had decided to intervene. It just so happened that the Master Chief himself, John, had been running along the beach, and on the way back to the nearby base, he had unintentionally stumbled upon Cortana. The sight of her perfect nude form had been too much for the biochemically-augmented super-soldier, and he had approached her. The two had traded a few salacious words, and then made love for the first time right there on the beach.

Afterwards, the two had parted ways, but not before Cortana had promised John that she would pay him a visit later that night. That particular visit had, not surprisingly, resulted in them having sex again. Twice. In the week since then, they had made love every day, and every other moment when they were in close proximity with each other, it was a serious test of willpower for both of them to keep their hands off each other.

It definitely made for an interesting experience for both of them.

Right now, though, Cortana was just enjoying their current journey. The two of them had received orders that they were being temporarily reassigned to a nearby base in order to give them assistance in setting up shop. Since the end of the war, the UNSC had been struggling to rebuild, and thus they needed some experienced individuals to help guide the newer ones. John and Cortana had both qualified as experienced, and so they had been selected to help the new guys, whereas the other Spartans would remain at the other outpost for the time being.

Both of them, however, were simply relieved that they were not being split up, since at this point they could not get enough of each other.

"So what exactly will they be wanting you to do at this other base?" Cortana asked conversationally.

John kept his eyes focused on the road, but nonetheless kept his tone casual. "Apparently, they have gotten in a few more recruits, and most of them are a little wet behind the ears, so they need someone like me to whip them into shape."

Cortana scoffed. "You know, given the fact that our overall population is only a fraction of what it was at the start of the war, I'm surprised that more people are not focusing on rebuilding or seeking careers in professions that will help out in that area. No, we're still seeing large numbers of people joining the military. Don't they realise that the war is over now?"

John shrugged. "Even in peacetime, there still needs to be a strong military to maintain it. Besides, lots of people are still afraid that another enemy is going to attack us and they want to be prepared. To be honest, I don't really care. I'm just doing my job."

Cortana snorted derisively. John knew that she meant no offence towards him; it was just her typical stubborn attitude, and that was one of the reasons he loved her so much. Changing topics, he asked her, "So what are you doing?"

Cortana rolled her electric blue eyes. "What do you think? They tried to install a computer network, and some asinine morons totally screwed it up, so they need me to go and fix it up for them." She sighed. "These idiots think that once they get a diploma, they become undisputed experts in their chosen field and know absolutely everything!" She paused, and noticed a slight tremor in John's figure that originated from his gut; a sign that he was laughing. "Do you find this funny, John?"

John cleared his throat. "No," he replied tightly. But the sign of a repressed grin on his face indicated that he was definitely lying.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Cortana rolled her head back. "Why do I put up with you?" she groaned.

"Because we love each other, and I know how to show that in the physical sense," John replied casually.

Pausing, Cortana looked back at the Spartan. "_Very_ good answer," she replied with a smile, and leaned back into a relaxed position.

The base that they were meant to report into was about an hour and a half drive away from the one that the two of them had originally been stationed at, and so earlier in the day, they had loaded their equipment on to the Warthog that had been assigned to them. John had climbed into the driver seat, while Cortana hopped into the passenger one, and they had headed off.

They had been driving for almost an hour now, and the journey had taken them along a long stretch of highway that went through small plains and hills. It amazed and pleased them both to see that although Earth had been ravaged in the last few months of the war, it still managed to recover.

For the most part, Cortana had simply sat back and enjoyed the scenery. But John's casual answer had gotten her mind on to other things.

Most of the time, Cortana would wear her UNSC officer's uniform; specifically the newer version that included a zip which ran down the front. Her particular one was fitted to her curvaceous figure, and this caused more than a few of the males at the base (and even a few female ones, actually) to look at her and feel extremely jealous of John. However, given the fact that he was a Spartan, a war hero, and someone who could probably kill them with a flick of his wrist, they chose to keep their distance. Still, it did serve the purpose of getting a response from John, so Cortana was not complaining.

Nonchalantly, she reached up and slowly pulled down the front zip until it was at her belly button, then stretched her arms backwards, thrusting her ample chest out and also pulling the fabric back a little. As she had been prone to doing lately, she was not wearing a bra, so this provided an amazing view of her cleavage.

This was a blatant attempt by Cortana to get a response from John. He was occupied with driving, but he was someone who could direct part of his attention elsewhere while doing this; a skill he had developed and honed during combat, as he was often required to drive and shoot at the same time. A sideways glance and the very subtle change in his demeanour told Cortana that she had definitely succeeded in eliciting in getting a response from him.

Playing it cool, John casually and suggestively asked, "Enjoying the breeze, Cortana?"

The former AI smiled playfully. "As a matter of fact, I am." As much as she enjoyed the physical aspect of their intimacy, she would be lying if she said that she did not like the banter that they shared. If nothing else, it made it so much more fun.

Cortana placed her hand on John's knee. "I'm just being reminded that it's moments like these that I am intensely glad that they found a way to turn an AI into a human." As she said this, she slowly slid her hand along John's muscular leg. "After all, things are… much more… enjoyable this way." Her hand stopped at the end of his leg, and slipped downward into his crotch, coming to rest upon the hardness there. "Wouldn't you agree, my dear Spartan?"

Inhaling sharply, John asked, "They would not mind if we were a little bit late at the base, would they?"

"Oh, I don't know for sure, but I do know that I would not mind at all."

"I was hoping you would say that." With that, John decelerated the Warthog and pulled off the road, heading into a spot between two hills and then driving around the back of one of them. Though only small, they were more than enough to provide adequate cover. Perfect.

Pulling the Hog to a stop in a perfect handbrake spin that most stunt drivers would be jealous of, John turned off the motor and pulled his seat back as far as it would go, so as to allow Cortana some room. At the same moment, Cortana pushed herself out of her chair and climbed over to John, straddling him and assaulting his chapped lips with passionate kisses. Their movements seemed almost choreographed, and yet there was only pure emotion behind them.

Moving down from Cortana's mouth, John placed heavy kisses down her neck. He stopped for a moment as she reached down and pulled his T-shirt up and over his head, tossing it on the passenger seat. Leaning forward, he resumed his passionate assault on her neck, gradually making his way down to her tantalising cleavage.

Cortana lay back and moaned softly in ecstasy as John's mouth and tongue began their ministrations on her tender flesh. She reached down and pulled the zip of her top down the rest of the way, then pulled the garment off her shoulders and tossed it onto the passenger seat with his T-shirt. John immediately began running his hands over her firm and ample breasts, squeezing them gently and lightly pinching the nipples. After this, he leaned forward again to lick and suck on her breasts. As he did this, Cortana ran her hands over his muscular shoulders, neck and back.

After a while, John reached down to Cortana's waist. First squeezing her ass cheeks through her tight pants, he then hooked his thumbs in the band of them and started pulling them down. Manoeuvring her body, Cortana was able to pull her pants down and off her legs. It did not surprise John in the slightest that she was not wearing any panties. In fact, it seemed as though she hardly ever wore any underwear. Not that he was complaining, of course. Far from it.

After Cortana had been divested of her pants, she set about removing John's as well. Pulling them down, his erect manhood sprung into view, causing the former AI to feel a spike of excitement. Tossing both of their pants onto the passenger seat with the rest of their garments.

John leaned back and watched Cortana position her amazing body directly over his. The two of them locked eyes, and they never broke contact as she slowly eased herself downward, impaling herself on his hardness. Cortana took a moment to savour the pleasure that rippled through her, then slowly started rocking her hips.

Running his hands along her smooth legs, John reached around and gripped Cortana's ass cheeks again, urging her in deeper. Spurred on, the former AI started bouncing up and down in the Spartan's lap, her moans increasing in volume and frequency. Moving his hands upwards, John placed them on either side of the waist, supporting her body, and at the same time, he began to thrust upwards.

Cortana threw her head back and her breasts bounced with their motion. She began moaning and panting his name, further encouraging him in his thrusts. As he matched her movements, John felt himself becoming completely enraptured by the sheer sight of the beautiful woman; how amazing she was, and how perfectly their bodies responded to each other. A growing sensation of pleasure told him that he was getting close to his climax, and he fought to keep it down as long as he could. He wanted, no needed, to make this perfect for her.

Her head still thrown back in pure ecstasy, Cortana continued her movements on the Spartan's manhood. Her moans became increasingly louder, and she felt her own well of pleasure building up inside her. Bringing her head back down, she fixed her electric blue gaze on John's. His own eyes told her that he was reaching climax as well. Neither of them said anything; it was like their actions spoke for them. It was time to bring this to its end.

John and Cortana sped up their movements; him thrusting upwards, and her downwards, driving him inside her as deep as he could go, pushing each other to the brink, and reaching their climaxes almost as one.

Cortana had her orgasm less than a second before John, and the pair cried out their shared ecstasy into the empty air of the surrounding plains, knowing that nobody could hear them, but not caring if they did. She slumped against her lover, her head resting on his shoulder, feeling utterly spent by the whole ordeal. Himself also expended, John simply sat there, clutching her to him as close as he could.

Neither one of them knew how long they sat there, practically moulded together as one in the afterglow of their passion, with him still inside her. It could have only been a few minutes, or even as long as an hour. Time seemed to hold no serious meaning for them, as long as they had each other.

* * *

When John and Cortana finally arrived at the base, the commanders were understandably curious as to why they were a little bit late. The couple simply replied that they had taken an 'unexpected detour'.

* * *

**Okay, this one is much shorter than the beach one, and I don't think it is as good in terms of quality, but I hope it passes. I will try to do more if I can.**


	3. After the Nightmare

**WHOO, I'M BACK, BABY!**

**To all my mates out there in Fanficland, I have no idea why I waited so long to put up another chapter, I guess I am just lazy, but that makes no difference.**

**Because here is another steamy chapter for my 'On the Beach' story!**

* * *

**After the Nightmare**

_Bombs. Gunfire. Explosions. The screams of the wounded and dying, both human and alien. Not even the Master Chief's helmet could filter out all of those sounds._

_Where the hell was he fighting now? Jericho VII? Atlas Moons? Reach? Alpha Halo? Delta Halo? Earth? The Ark? Did it make any difference? Probably not; the Covenant would more than likely just glass the whole damn planet afterwards. Why did he even bother fighting anyway? Why bother doing anything when his whole species was facing extinction?_

_Steeling himself, the Chief slammed another clip into his assault rifle and vaulted the barricade. He then sprinted as fast as he could towards the enemy lines. The ground, once smooth and flat, had been reduced to a haphazard terrain of makeshift hills and dips due to constant bombardment from both sides._

_Firing his rifle, the Chief dropped one enemy target after another. Grunts, jackals, elites, brutes, they all fell before him. From the edge of his consciousness, he could hear a feminine voice calling out to him._

"Chief… Chief…"

_What? Cortana? It sounded like her, but it seemed to be coming from far away._

"_John, are you there? Wake up."_

_The Chief, John, turned around just in time to see a mass of Flood forms, which he had not noticed before, leapt towards him…_

"John!"

"John!"

The Spartan sat upright, breathing heavily. He noticed several things. Firstly, he was no longer on a battlefield surrounded by death and destruction. Rather, he was in his house, which had been given to him by the UNSC military in return for his lifetime of military service. That alone served to make him breathe a sigh of relief.

The second thing he noticed was the fact that he was coated with a light sheen of perspiration. Apparently the dream he was having, or rather, nightmare, had unnerved him so badly that he had broken out into sweat. He may have been a Spartan; an augmented super soldier, but even he was not immune to night terrors. He was only human, after all.

The third thing, the one that gave John the most relief, was the individual with whom he was sharing his bed. His former AI partner, who had provided much guidance and company during dangerous missions, and who was now a flesh and blood human being and his lover, Cortana

Clad in the simple t-shirt and soft shorts that she wore to bed, and her hair slightly tousled, Cortana looked as though she had been sleeping peacefully before John's night terrors had woken her up. Her eyes, a bright electric blue that shone even in the current darkness, showed her concern for the man she loved with her entire being.

"Did you have another nightmare, John?" The Spartan did not say anything; he simply closed his eyes and nodded his head solemnly. He would never hide anything from Cortana. He had never felt the want or need to, and even if he did it would have been a waste of time. Cortana knew him inside and out, and knew exactly what he was feeling even if he himself was unsure of it. It was a relationship that begun with her literally in his head, as an AI inhabiting a chip inserted in his helmet's neural interface. She was a human now, but even then there was nobody alive who better understood the man known as the Master Chief.

"John, that's the second time this week," Cortana said softly. "They're getting worse."

John actually let out a soft chuckle. "Are you sure you're not exaggerating?"

Cortana fixed him with a firm glare. "You know I don't exaggerate, John. I've always been an analytical person."

"Makes sense. You _were_ originally a computer program."

Cortana chose to ignore that remark and continue with her train of thought. "First you had a nightmare once a month. Then it was once a couple of weeks. Then once a week. Now it's twice a week. I'm no psychologist, but something tells me you still have issues to deal with."

John groaned and flopped back on his pillow. "I shouldn't," he muttered. "I'm not some common rank and file soldier. I'm a Spartan, damn it! We're supposed to be the toughest bastards in the galaxy. It doesn't make sense as to why I'm bothered by nightmares."

Cortana looked down at her lover and gave him a look that clearly said 'quit fooling around'. "You are bothered by this because you are _human_, John! Humans have fears, and these fears often lead to nightmares. You could be the single toughest son of a bitch in the whole universe, and it would still not render you immune to having nightmares." She stopped, and when she spoke again, her voice was much softer. "Trust me on that. I have had more than my fair share of nightmares ever since I became human."

John cocked his head to look at Cortana. "You never told me that. In fact, I always thought that you were the last person to suffer from them."

Cortana gave him a sad smile. "Well, sorry to spoil your perfect impression of me." Her tone changed back into a more serious one. "Even when I was still an AI, I was plagued by thoughts and images that scared me. A lot of them had to do with Gravemind, and when he was holding me on High Charity. Afterwards, I began to experience flashes of him doing… horrible things… to the people I cared about. Particularly you."

John felt a slight churn in his gut, but he decided to let Cortana continue.

"Other things included us returning home to find absolutely nothing left. No people, just broken ruins. Other times, it was visions of human territories being completely conquered by the Covenant, and instead of wiping us all out, they enslaved us; using us for slave labour, and worse."

"Worse?"

"They would perform experiments on humans. Afterwards, they didn't look like people. They looked like… horrible mutations that I can't even describe."

It took John a few seconds to get over his shock at hearing all of this. "And, this was all in you mind? Even when you were just an AI?"

Cortana nodded. "It was very rare when I had these visions, and I simply put it down to part of my oncoming rampancy. Since I was still a program, I was able to remove most of these images from my memory interface, and the rest were just shunted to points where they would not bother me. After a while, they were no longer a problem. But then I became human…" she let the sentence hang.

John finished it for her. "And you started to experience it all over again."

The former AI nodded. "And it was worse than before. I was now a flesh and blood human being, and images like that were much more vivid and disturbing. I loved being human, but a couple of nights I would have those nightmares, I'd see myself among the victims, and I woke up with tears in my eyes." She stopped here, and the way her voice was starting to constrict made John think that she was on the verge of crying right there.

John did not say anything. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Cortana and pulled her closer. She had always come across to him as very strong and independent, regardless of whether she was an AI or human. Despite this, both had been aware that she was not infallible, and that was why he would go out of his way to protect her in whatever way he could. It mirrored how she would always protect him.

But to hear how she had been so bothered by nightmares came as an outright shock to him, and although it was not really his fault, he still felt like kicking himself for not doing more to help her.

"It's not your fault," Cortana murmured, as if reading his mind. "I tried to deal with it myself."

John nodded. "I know. Just like I was trying to deal with my own nightmares." He turned her face to look at his. "But you know what? We're partners, in more than one way. Neither one of us should have to deal with things like this alone." He leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on her lips.

Cortana smiled. "I agree," she replied before returning the kiss. "From now on, no more nightmares." She slid her form across so that she was lying on top of him. "And if we do have any, we help each other out."

"Fine by me," John said with a smile, and then he captured Cortana's lips in another kiss. This one was chaste enough, at least until John felt Cortana slip the tip of her tongue between his lips. It was a surprise, but definitely not an unpleasant one. Far from it, actually.

John pulled away. "What was that for?" he asked in playful innocence.

"Just continuing to help you forget the nightmare," Cortana purred, followed by a slight giggle.

John let out a soft chuckle, and then moved his mouth down to Cortana's soft and smooth neck. "Well," he said huskily, "I have to admit that it worked. I've forgotten all about it now." He started placing little kisses down her neck. "Can't remember what it was that I was dreaming about."

Cortana laughed. It always made her feel good when she could put her man in a positive mood. Even more so when that mood get him feeling amorous like this. She felt John's mouth move further down her neck, and she knew what he wanted. Things like that did not require a verbal response.

Cortana repositioned herself so that she was straddling John's waist. At the same time, she reached down to grab the bottom edge of her T-shirt and pulled it off in one quick movement. She saw the flash of appreciation and eagerness in John's eyes as he looked over her nude upper half, and at the same time, she could feel the hardness in his own lower regions. Leaning forward, John started to kiss and suck on Cortana's firm breasts. The former AI gripped the Spartan's shoulders and threw her head back as the pleasure started to run its course through her body.

Damn, it was times like this that she loved being human!

After a couple of minutes, Cortana pushed her lover back down on to his pillow, and she crawled backwards, pulling his shorts and briefs off as she did so, and allowing his hardened manhood to spring free. Moving back into position, she grasped his erection in one hand and started giving it a few gentle strokes.

John tilted his head back and revelled in the simple yet unbelievably erotic sensations that his lover was inflicting upon him. The nightmares that had recently plagued his mind were not even a distant memory at this point. Instead, all he could think about was Cortana and the feelings that she was giving him.

These feelings intensified immensely as he felt Cortana's lips wrap around the tip of his manhood and slowly descend, gradually taking the length into her warm and moist mouth. John started to groan softly as the former AI proceeded to give him one amazing blowjob.

Cortana worked John's erection with her mouth, swirling her tongue around the tip and humming softly to cause vibrations through the organ. This was a new skill that she had picked up, but if John's reactions were anything to go by, she seemed to be doing it just right. She wanted to please him, but not cause him to climax too soon. Not until both of them had experienced the full amount of pleasure that could be gained from the encounter. Fortunately, she knew him better than anybody else, and that included all of the physical signs when he was reaching his sexual peak.

After about a minute of oral stimulation, Cortana stopped and pulled her head back. John opened his eyes and watched as she removed the lower half of her sleeping garments and made herself as nude as him. She crawled back over his prone form, and positioned her womanhood over his saliva-lubricated erection, and slowly eased down, allowing him to enter her.

Cortana let out a soft moan as she took John's hardness into her warmth, all the way to his hilt. She then started rocking her hips back and forth, taking him almost all the way out, and then all the way in. As she increased her pace, she started to increase her moans and gasps of pleasure.

John simply lay back and let the woman he loved move up and down on his manhood, her blue eyes slightly glazed over in euphoria, and still shining brightly with her absolute passion and love for him. Reaching up, John placed his hands on Cortana's hips, adding to the thrusting sensation of her movements.

As their lovemaking continued, John moved his hands up Cortana's body. Starting at her hips, he slid them up her sides until they reached her breasts. Cupping the ample mounds, he started to thrust his hips upward, increasing the pace of their sex.

They continued with this position; Cortana straddling him and rocking her hips up and down on his manhood, and John leaning back with his hands on her breasts. Both of them moaned and groaned loudly as they reached their impending climax.

John reached his peak first, groaning loudly as he let loose a stream of his hot liquid into Cortana. The former AI continued, and John simply let her have her way with him, until she had her own climax. Both expended, she collapsed against him, panting from the exertion, and the attempt to catch her breath afterwards.

John moved his hands from Cortana's breasts and wrapped them around her back, holding her close to him. So close, it could have seemed as though they were one single entity. They fell asleep like that, with him still inside her.

And neither of them had any more nightmares.

* * *

**I haven't written for a while, because I have been procrastinating, and I made myself sit my ass down and finish this, and then I decided, "Why bother waiting?" and I put it up right after I finished it.**

**As always, I would love to hear some reviews. To me, they are like food. Or better yet, my favourite energy drink! (That's MOTHER, by the way! If you don't know it, that's probably because I don't think it's sold outside Australia.)  
**

**I've been drinking it, so I'm on a bit of a caffeine-induced high right now.**

**See you next time, mates!**


	4. On the Desk

**Sup, people? I decided to really dedicate some time to this fic, and so I need to pull out all the stops here and send it into sexual overdrive!**

**By the way, this particular chapter was actually started a while back. I was originally going to just get rid of it, but then I decided to finish it.**

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**On the Desk**

Cortana sighed as she tapped out a few more commands on the keyboard. Her fingers were starting to get tired from the constant typing, and her vision was beginning to blur from looking at the computer screen for such a long period of time.

It was at times like this that she actually did miss being an Artificial Intelligence. In her former life, she could have completed a dozen tasks like this in the space of less than a minute. Nowadays, it took several hours to do just _one_ of those tasks. As much as she enjoyed her new life as a human being, there were certain things that she felt were more of a burden than anything else.

It had been her creator; or rather, her mother, as Cortana tended to think of her fondly; who had put her up to this task. Doctor Catherine Halsey had continued her work for the UNSC and had needed some assistance in this area. Because Cortana possess a skill set that was nearly identical to that of the good doctor's, she had been assigned to work with her. Though the war was long since over, there was still a great deal to be done.

Originally, Cortana had jumped at the chance, thinking it would be an opportunity to make herself useful and ensure the abilities that she retained after her transition to human did not go to waste. It had seemed okay for the start, but before long, the monotony and repetitive nature had began to grate upon her. Endless typing and entering data… it was boring! And one of the things that Cortana hated more than anything else was being bored. She had gotten bored plenty of times when she was watching over John in the remains of the _Forward Unto Dawn_.

John. The very thought of his name was enough to distract Cortana from the task at hand, and she thought about the man she loved with all of her heart. The strong, muscular arms that held her close, the intense piercing gaze that was enough to send enemies running…

And, of course, the moments when the two of them made love.

Sighing, Cortana felt herself starting to feel a little bit better at the mere thought of John. She wondered if he would be in the mood to get a little frisky with her when she got back home. Spurred on, Cortana got back on task, determined to finish it as quickly as possible.

It took another twenty minutes, but Cortana finished entering all of the relevant data, then printed them out and placed them in their appropriate folders. She had to admit she found it interesting that humans still utilised papers and folders when virtually everything was electronic at this point in history. Dr Halsey had stated that it never hurt to have a solid copy, if only for back up. Having dealt with lost data on more than one occasion, the former AI had to agree there.

Placing the folders on the doctor's desk, as per her orders, Cortana took a moment to stretch and take a few deep breaths, easing the tension that amassed over the last couple of hours. Hearing the door open behind her, Cortana figured that the doctor had returned. Catherine Halsey had stepped out a while earlier to take care of some errands, and said that she would not be back for some time.

However, she got a surprise, but not an unpleasant one by any means, when she felt big, strong and calloused hands, place themselves on her shoulders from behind and start to knead out the tension and stress with gentle movements.

"John, you gave me a bit of a shock there!"

The man once known as the Master Chief simply laugh in his usual deep baritone; a sound that never failed to send little thrills and jolts through Cortana's being. "You know me, Cortana. I would never do anything to hurt you in any way. And that definitely includes scaring you to death. No, I reserve that for my enemies." He continued to knead her shoulders with his thumbs.

"I know the former Covenant still feels the same way about you," Cortana replied, purring with pleasure. "Of course, they don't know you like I do. They don't know what else you are capable of." She switched to a different train of thought. "So what are you doing here?"

"I don't really know exactly," John admitted as Cortana turned around to face him. "I was just at the base, doing my job, minding my own business and trying to keep myself from getting too bored, when all of a sudden, I had this overwhelming urge to visit you. Kind of strange for me to feel like that, don't you think?"

Cortana nodded. "I suppose it is," she admitted. John was the type of individual who rarely did anything just for the hell of it; he almost always had a reason. Not that she minded in this particular instance. "But I don't really care." She smiled and pressed her lips to his in a kiss.

John wrapped his arms around Cortana and pulled her close as the kiss turned more passionate. Almost immediately, the two of them could feel their bodies responding to each other, and each could feel the yearning and desire that lay beneath the surface, not only in themselves, but in their partner as well.

Pulling back, Cortana smiled at her lover. "You know," she began, "I must admit that I spent most of my time here thinking about you."

John chuckled. "Funny, I was spending most of my time thinking about you."

Cortana laughed. "Really now? Well, I was also wondering if you would be…" she paused teasingly, "in the mood when we got back home." Her hands slowly trailed down John's chest as she said this.

At the same time, John's hand also went lower down Cortana's curvaceous form, eventually coming to rest on her firm ass cheeks. "I was thinking the same thing," he murmured. "The problem is that I think we are both in the mood right now. Do you think we should duck out early?"

Cortana paused to think about this for a second. There was no denying in any way that she desired the man before her, and her mood had gotten to the point where she pretty much needed him right at that moment. They _could_ rush home and act on those impulses, but another idea entered her mind…

"You know, why bother going all the way back to our place just to have sex?" she replied playfully. "I mean, I don't think there is any rule that says we can't to it right here and right now, is there?"

John was somewhat taken aback by his lover's remark. "Here? In Dr Halsey's office?" He looked around the room, as if to emphasise his point. "I can only imagine what she would say if she found out. Also, she is, for all intents and purposes, your mother. How do you think she would feel at the thought that her own daughter had sex in her office?"

Cortana burst out laughing at John's protests, as well as the incredulous look on his face. "Oh come on, John! What she doesn't know won't hurt her. And besides," here she started to lower herself down to a kneeling position, "there's nothing wrong with a little rebellion, is there?" With her hands, she started to undo John's pants.

Even now, the Spartan was absolutely amazed at the former AI. Not only could she knock him down with a few choice words, but it seemed that she had developed a rebellious and playful streak that was at least a kilometre wide, especially in terms of sexuality. His brain was struggling to come up with a response to what she had just said to him, but just as he started to open his mouth, Cortana had pulled out his engorged manhood and started to use her own mouth on it.

By now, all rational thought had left John's mind, and he simply leaned his head back, letting out a groan of ecstasy as Cortana gave him a blowjob. Who cared whether or not they were breaking the rules? And if they were, that didn't matter in the slightest!

Cortana let out another purr of pleasure, partly to cause sensuous vibrations in John's organ, and also to express her own personal delight at the current situation. Her lover had been raised from a young age to follow rules and regulations, so understandably having sex in the office of one of his superiors, even a civilian like Dr Halsey, would have given him pause. But she was glad to see that he was more than agreeable to such a rebellious action. After all, it simply made the situation all the more fun.

As she continued to work John's manhood with her mouth, Cortana pulled off her top and the bra she had underneath; it was one of the instances that she did wear underwear. Now topless, she kept up with the blowjob, reaching up to squeeze her own large breasts as she did so, adding to the already overwhelming stimulation.

Finally deciding that the time had come to get some receiving as well as giving, Cortana stood up. As she did so, she pulled John's shirt over his head for him. Running her electric blue gaze over his well muscled and scarred chest, she smiled salaciously. "Is it just me," she teased, "or do you seem to enjoy letting me dominate you during sex?"

John smiled back in response. "Sometimes I do," he admitted. He reached down with his hands and started to undo the fasteners on Cortana's pants. "But sometimes I like to do the dominating. And sometimes, we take it in turns." He undid her pants and pushed them down, along with her panties. "And now I think you've had your turn being the dominant one for this session, so now I'd like to have a go at being in charge." He paused for a second, and then added an afterthought. "By the way, I cannot help but notice that you were actually wearing underwear this time."

Cortana smiled as innocently as possible. "Well, I can't go commando all the time, now can I?"

John grunted and rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Cortana. Now just bend over the damn desk!" He gave her a push to turn her around; one that was both gentle and rough. It reflected both his care for her, and his eagerness to have his way with her.

The former AI felt a spike of excitement at this sudden turn of events as she felt the Spartan push her down on the desk, her breasts pushed up against the surface. Cortana had started off in the dominant position, convincing him to have sex in the office, and then proceeding to give him a blowjob that left him speechless, and then she had found herself in the more submissive role as he had her bent over the desk. It was one of the qualities that made their relationship and sex life all the more exciting. She let out a little squeal of pleasure as she felt John enter her from behind, easing himself into her womanhood.

John guided himself into Cortana until he was fully enclosed up to his hilt in her warmth. He slowly pulled back until only the head was still in, and then eased himself back in. He repeated this process, quickening his pace, and was spurred on by Cortana's increasing gasps and moans of sheer pleasure.

Speeding up his movements, John watched as her ass cheeks jiggle every time he slammed home into her. From this position, he was effectively in complete control of their lovemaking. He controlled the pace and how deep he thrust, and she simply lay across the desk while he did so. Placing his hands on her hips, he began to guide her in her own pelvic movements.

Though she was wracked with the sheer pleasure that John was inflicting upon her, Cortana managed to push herself up with her arms. With her body in this position, she started to have more control over her own movements, and began to work in sync with John. With his thrusting and his hands on her hips, she began to push back, urging him in deeper with every thrust. Cortana's breasts began to bounce back and forward with these movements, and she started to moan. She moaned even louder as she felt John move his hands from her hips and reach around to cup her breasts.

Within seconds of having her lover's hands gripping her ample mounds, Cortana felt her orgasm wash over her body, and she let out a long groan of pure ecstasy. The pleasure was so overwhelming that she felt herself getting light-headed and thought she was going to pass out. She managed to hold on to her consciousness, and was aware of John slowing his movements. Feeling his lover climax had made him slow down and let her simply enjoy the sensation.

Holding Cortana close, John waited for her to recover from her orgasmic euphoria and catch her breath. When she seemed to have calmed down he spoke to her softly. "Are you still with me, Cortana?" he asked playfully.

Cortana gave a weary laugh. "Yeah, I'm still here. Although, I don't think I've had an orgasm that intense before."

John kissed the back of her neck. "Want me to keep going?"

"Yeah," Cortana replied, leaning back over the desk. "Keep going."

With that, John continued his movements, thrusting in and out, pushing Cortana's body off and on to his manhood. Still reeling in the after-effects of her intense climax, the former AI started to moan again, albeit softer than before.

After a minute, John started to grunt louder; a sign that he himself was approaching his own climax. Deciding to do something different, Cortana pushed herself off his manhood. John raised his eyebrow in confusion, and she just gave him a knowing smile as she dropped down to her knees once again. Like before, she took his erection into her mouth and began pleasuring him; savouring the mix of his juices and her own.

John was slightly surprised at Cortana's sudden movements, not that he was complaining, of course. Usually, he just had his orgasm inside her, but it seemed as though this time, she wanted something a little bit different. Still, as she proceeded to give him another blowjob, he found it impossible to think, let alone worry, about anything else.

As Cortana's mouth moved back and forth along the length of his erection, and he felt her tongue swirling around the tip, John felt the pleasure growing inside him. Starting as a dull feeling of ecstasy, he felt it continue to build up, and his groans increased in both frequency and intensity as he was pushed closer and closer to the edge. In the end, he could hold it in no longer, and he let himself go.

Cortana noticed John shudder, heard him groan, and felt his manhood throb as he had his own orgasm. Less than a second later, she felt stream after stream of his seed squirt into her mouth. She savoured the taste of the man she loved, the pure essence of him. He continued to orgasm until she felt as though her mouth was almost full, and then stopped.

Pulling back from John's spent manhood, Cortana tilted her head back and swallowed the thick liquid. Licking her lips, she looked up at John, seeing the glazed look in his eyes as he struggled to catch his breath.

After a few moments, he finally opened his mouth. "Holy shit, Cortana. I swear that you're turning into a damn nymphomaniac!"

Cortana simply laughed loudly.

* * *

The next day, Cortana returned to the office to assist Dr Halsey in her work. She entered the room, acting as nonchalant as possible. Fortunately, the doctor did not seem to have any inkling whatsoever as to what happened on her own desk yesterday. Especially when Cortana and John had taken great care to ensure the room was as it was meant to be before leaving.

"Thank you for your help, Cortana," Dr Halsey addressed her. "I hope you didn't mind all of the work you had to do yesterday."

"Oh, it was fine," Cortana replied casually. "It was no trouble. No trouble at all…"

* * *

**If only the good doctor knew, I doubt she'd want to use that desk ever again!**

**And it looks like Cortana has started to branch out in what she does. Nothing wrong with that, is there? (Wink, wink)**

**To Dragoon Galaxy: I'm thinking I'll use your suggestion for next chapter. Just be patient, my friend.**

**To Major Mike Powell III: Sir, yes, sir! Oo-rah! (Always wanted to do that!)**


	5. in the Shower

**First off, Happy New Year, everybody! 2012 promises to bring something totally awesome for us. I speak, of course, about HALO 4! Cannot wait!**

**Also, I'm in the process of writing my own sci-fi action novel, which I intend to get published, but I will still try to update this fic on a regular basis, so don't despair.**

**And here's the next chapter!**

**In the Shower**

* * *

_Another day in the life of someone working for the UNSC_, Cortana mused as she opened the door and walked into the apartment that she shared with John. Stepping over to the couch, she dropped her bag on the floor in front of it, before flopping her body down on the cushions. She leaned her head back, and let out a sigh of thorough exhaustion.

As much as she enjoyed being human, Cortana did have to admit that it was not without its drawbacks. Ever since the war against the Covenant had come to an end, the UNSC had being doing its best to repair its economy and other valuable areas. Because of that, jobs were in high demand, and every one who had secured one with the UNSC was expected to pull their weight. Now that she was a human, Cortana was no exception.

But the long, seemingly endless, hours of repetitive work could grind on the nerves of even the most patient of individuals. As much as she liked her new job, Cortana was still an individual who got bored quite easily, and her work did not exactly inspire her as much as she would have liked to. At the end of the day, she frequently found herself to be mentally and physically exhausted.

Taking a glance at her watch, she noted that John would not be home for another hour. Cortana gave a weary smile. Her lover was one of the things that never failed to make her feel better. Just seeing him after a long day at work was more than enough to lift her spirits out of the pit that they sometimes ended up in. Just hearing his voice was all it took to put her in a good mood and make her feel as though all the crap she had been through did not matter in the slightest.

More often than not, it actually reminded Cortana of the time when he had stormed High Charity to look for her. The Covenant home city had succumbed to an infection by the vile parasite known as the Flood, and they had plotted a course for the Ark. Cortana had stayed aboard to make sure that the city could be destroyed if all else failed. Instead, she had been subjected to terrible torture at the hands of the insidious Gravemind creature. It had taken every ounce of willpower that she had not to break.

But then John had showed up, blasting away at any Flood that got in his path and fighting his way through to her. She had felt like a truly broken entity, but all it took was a few tender words from him to make her feel as though everything would be alright. As long as he was there to protect her.

Cortana sighed happily. Thinking about John always made her feel better. Perhaps the only thing that was more effective was when he held her close. When he kissed her. Touched her. When he made love to her…

Back in a positive mood, Cortana decided to have a shower. Even though her work was not that physically demanding, long hours could still make one feel all gritty, dirty and worn out. Cortana hated feeling like that. Showers really helped out in that area.

Standing up from the couch, she headed into the bedroom that she shared with John and rummaged around for some fresh clothes. She settled on a clean white T-shirt and some denim shorts, as well as some fresh underwear. Then she headed into the bathroom.

Standing in the centre of the bathroom, Cortana placed her clean clothes on the basin, and then started to undress herself. The long grind of the day had actually made her feel a little bit sweaty, so her current attire was clinging to her figure somewhat. She did not pull off her clothes as much as she did peel them off. That did not bother her, though. Even now, months after she had made the transition to a physical human being, Cortana still found touch to be her favourite new sensation, and appreciated it whenever she could.

Of course, nothing matched the sensation that she felt whenever John touched her.

Smiling at the thought of her man, Cortana continued with her actions until she was completely nude, and then stepped into the shower. Turning the handles, she let the torrent of warm water wash over her and let out a satisfied sigh.

As she proceeded to wash her body, starting with her hair and then moving down her curvaceous figure, Cortana let her mind wander once again. She remembered that when she had first become human, and was first able to experience the wondrous sensation of touch; a feeling that had previously been denied to her since she was merely a hologram.

Ironically enough, the first time she had experienced the best aspect of this new feeling had happened when she was in the shower. Although she had always enjoyed the feeling of the water against her skin, she had noticed something weird this time. It was not a bad kind of weird, but a good kind. Cortana realised that she had liked the feeling of her own hands against her skin, and decided to do a little experimentation. She had stimulated herself, building the growing well of pleasure inside her until it reached its peak, and she had experienced her first orgasm.

A thought struck Cortana; one that said there was no reason as to why she could not try that again. From what John had told her, it would be a while before he would come home that evening. Cortana could just as easily have waited until he arrived to see if he was in the mood – which he almost always was – but the remembrance of her little experience in the shower had made her a little too eager to get herself off.

_You know what? Screw it!_ Cortana thought with a feral smile, and she began to move her hands over her curvaceous figure; her lean legs, her flat and toned abdomen, her ample breasts, her smooth neck. She let the water course over her body, let it scintillate her senses.

Cortana let out a low moan of pleasure. _Oh, this is just too good. I just wish John was here at the moment._ Deciding not to worry about her lover, she reached down to her womanhood and gently began to tease the delicate flesh there, letting the water run over it and eliciting more flashes of pleasure.

Despite the fact that he was not there, Cortana let her mind be teased with images of John. She imagined that it was his hands running over her form instead of her own, she pictured that it was his chapped lips placing hot kisses on the parts of her flesh that were being stimulated by the hot streams of water.

Cortana had always had a good attention span; something that she had retained from her former life as an AI. At the moment, however, she was fully focused on pleasuring herself. Had she not been so distracted, she might have noticed the door to her apartment opening and someone walking in…

* * *

After stepping through the apartment door, John dropped his duffel bag on the floor and took a moment to stretch, easing out some of the tension that had built up in his muscles. A long day of work at the UNSC military base made was bound to make anybody feel like that. Sure, John may have been a Spartan, and as a result he was able to tolerate and withstand more than most people, but even he had his limits.

Sweeping his piercing gaze around the room, John noticed Cortana's bag placed in front of the couch, and the slightly dishevelled state of the cushions. He figured that she was home, and had taken a moment to recuperate on the couch. Straining his ears, John heard the water running in the bathroom and figured that she was in the shower.

He saw that the door to the bathroom was open a crack. Ever since the two of them had started to engage in a physical relationship, Cortana had gotten into the habit of leaving the bathroom door open just a little bit when she had her shower. He guessed that it was because they had gotten much more comfortable around each other, which was not surprising, considering the frequency that they engaged in intercourse.

The other explanation was that she simply did not figure that he would be home this early. John had told her that he would be at the base for a while longer, but then he had managed to carry out all of his tasks much quicker than usual, so he had been given leave to depart early. John simply shrugged. It was all pretty much irrelevant anyway.

Rebelliously, John decided to sneak up to the bathroom door and steal a quick peak inside. It was an action he would not have readily taken in his younger years, but Cortana's influence had definitely rubbed off on him. He was not complaining, though. Not in the least.

Carefully peering around the edge of the open doorway, John saw through the faint mist to the shower cubicle, and inside it was Cortana. Just seeing her nude form, with the streams of water sluicing over it, was enough to make John's manhood begin to harden. He was so attracted to her, and not just in the physical sense. No, she was somebody who understood him more than any other living being. She had literally been inside his head when she was an AI, and he had been inside her body now that she was a human. The sudden lust began to cloud the Spartan's mind.

Blinking to clear both his mind and his vision, John decided that it was best if he step back and let Cortana finish washing herself…

No, wait a second. She was not _washing_ herself, actually. As John watched, her saw that Cortana was running her hands over her body in a sensual manner. Every few moments, her hands would wander down and begin to stimulate her womanhood. The former AI's head was tilted back, her eyes were closed, and he could hear her moaning very softly.

John was reminded of that day when he had gone for a run at the beach and unintentionally come across Cortana doing some nude sunbathing in the dunes. His sudden arousal at seeing her had caused him to walk towards her, and the two had ended up making love for the first time right there. It was what had started their current relationship.

_Seems like history is repeating itself, isn't it, Johnny boy?_ That was the voice in John's head; the same one that had ultimately convinced him to act on his amorous impulses that day on the beach. John had originally pushed back, but eventually relented. This time, however, he did not even try to resist.

_Yes,_ John agreed as he stepped into the bathroom. _It seems that history __is__ repeating itself._

* * *

Cortana had been close to having her climax when she became aware of a figure standing in the bathroom just outside of the shower cubicle. She was shocked for a second, but then realised it could only be John. They stood there for another second, simply looking at each other, just knowing that they would be doing it in the shower this time, and practically daring each other to say something in order to instigate it.

It was John who eventually spoke. "I hope you're not wasting too much water, Cortana. Even so, it looks like you could use a hand in there." He had a grin on his face.

Cortana rolled her electric blue eyes. "Shut up and get in here, Chief."

John's grin merely widened as he pulled off his clothing. His flesh was covered in a slight sheen of sweat and grit, and his hardened manhood was in full view for Cortana. She smiled at the sight of her man, once more ready for action, and her arms went straight around his shoulders as he stepped in to the cubicle.

Pulling each other close, John and Cortana shared a passionate kiss, their tongues swirling around each other. She pressed her form against his, feeling his manhood in between them, and the warm water cascaded over their bodies; over his rippling muscles, and over her generous curves.

When they pulled apart, John gave Cortana a teasing grin. "So I guess you couldn't wait for me, huh?"

Cortana smiled back. "I guess not. But now that you're here, it doesn't matter too much." She began kissing down his well-muscled chest, making her way down to his abdomen, and then crotch.

John knew what she was working her way towards, and he simply leaned back and let her do her movements. He enjoyed the dual sensations of the water rushing down his muscular form, and Cortana's kisses. He felt his excitement and arousal peak even more as he felt her reach his manhood and take it into her warm mouth.

Cortana worked John's shaft with her mouth and her tongue, enjoying the sheer feeling of it, and the sound of his soft grunts as her ministrations sent jolts of pleasure radiating from the organ and across his body. While she continued to give him a blowjob, she also relished in the feeling of the water over their bodies. It made them slick, and added to the absolute sensuality of the intimate moment. It also gave Cortana an idea; one that she was actually quite eager to partake in.

After a couple of minutes providing oral sex on the Spartan, Cortana stood up and looked into his eyes. Though glazed over with pleasure, his gaze remained as piercing as ever, and that never ceased to make her quiver with ecstasy.

"John, I have a favour to ask of you, if it's not too much trouble."

"Anything you want, Cortana," he replied eagerly.

Cortana smiled. "Can you do me up the ass this time?"

John raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"

"Really. We've never done it before, and I would like to try it." As she said this, she continued to stroke his manhood, ensuring that it remained completely hard.

John seemed to ponder this for a moment, and then smiled. "If you wish, Cortana," he replied in a tone of voice that was both husky and playful. It was one that made her shiver in pleasure once more.

Turning so that she was up against the wall, Cortana placed her hands against it with her feet spread about shoulder-length apart; a pose usually forced upon those who were being searched by police. Her backside was pushed out slightly, as if to present an extremely tantalising target for her lover.

John eased himself into position behind Cortana. The water from the shower continued to run over their bodies, making them slick and providing just enough lubrication for what they were about to attempt. John eased Cortana's firm and curvy ass cheeks apart slightly and positioned his manhood at the tip of her virgin anal opening. With the water providing enough lubrication to make his entrance into her easier, he slid himself inside her anus. Compared to her vagina, Cortana's ass was incredibly tight, and John felt as though he was attempting to push his manhood through an extremely narrow opening. He grunted from the exertion, until eventually, he was fully enclosed in her rectum.

Cortana's head spun with this new sensation. Sex with John had always been amazing and enjoyable, but this new experience of anal sex was positively mind-blowing. She moaned in pain from the initial entrance, but as John started to move in an out, this pain gave way to pleasure. A kind of pleasure that was both familiar and new at the same time, and she began to increase her moans as John quickened his movements.

John reach above Cortana and grasped his hands around hers, pressed up against the tile wall of the shower. At the same time, he continued to thrust in and out of her ass, with the constant stream of water washing over them, making the thrusting in and out of her much easier. Cortana's frenetic moans spurred him on, and John thrust in and out faster, slamming against her ass at an increasing pace.

Although this kind of intercourse did not stimulate in the same way that regular sex did, Cortana nonetheless felt the pleasure building up inside of her. John's hardness reached into places of her that had never been touched before, and this stimulated her very being as a whole. It was not long before she felt the very familiar sensation started to well up in her, and she knew that she was reaching her climax.

John could tell by Cortana's increasing moans that she was fast approaching her orgasm, and that always excited him and inspired him to increase their already frenetic pace. The tightness of her ass felt as if it were stimulating his organ and sending shockwaves throughout his entire body. He thrust inside harder and faster, and simultaneously felt his own pleasure starting to approach its climax.

For Cortana, pleasure mixed with pain to create an all-new sensation that was so wonderful words were not sufficient enough to describe it, and she felt herself orgasm. She cried, throwing her head back so far that it was pressed up against John's chest, and her anus contracted as the climax washed over her.

Seeing his lover react this way, and feeling the contraction in her ass, was enough to set John off, and he let off a great burst of hot liquid inside her rectum. He twitched a couple more times as he let off some more spurts, and after a few seconds, he was all but spent, and he and Cortana both collapsed against the shower wall.

For about a minute, both John and Cortana stayed there, not moving a muscle. Were it not for the fact that they were up against the wall, they would have most likely collapsed in a heap on the floor. It was John who moved first, reaching out to turn off the water. Shaking while he moved, he then pushed off from the wall and away from Cortana, his spent manhood dropping out of her.

Cortana did her best to catch her breath. "John," she gasped, "that was… I mean…"

John did not say anything, but instead grabbed the satisfied woman and held her close, simply letting her enjoy the aftermath of the sex. He listened as her breathing returned to normal, and then he planted a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Let's go dry ourselves off," he said with a smile. Cortana just smiled back at him.

* * *

**To my readers:**

**Dragoon Galaxy: Looks like you got your wish for an anal chapter!...**

**Cmdr. Gen. Marasco: ... And so did you with the shower!**

**Shoulda'BeenBornAShinobi: I'm going to be updating for as long as I can. I'm trying to aim for about a dozen chapters, so I'm almost halfway there.**

**TheWolfHourx: Ironically, where I live, Christmas is in the middle of summer, and it's stinkin' hot here right now! Nonetheless, I will think about your suggestion.  
**

**Major Mike Powell III: As always, HOO-RAH!**

**And to everyone else, I'll try to get another one up by the end of January, if my schedule allows it.**

**Until then, keep it real, my friends!**


	6. Among the Stars

**Okay, some of you have been pestering me for a zero-gravity chapter, so here it is.**

**Now, ironically, as I was planning this one, I actually saw a documentary in relation to having sex in space, and it turns out the mechanics behind the whole thing are more complicated than we might think. It has to do with Newton's laws of physics (action results in reaction, and whatnot), which means that the very act of thrusting during sex could actually prove to be a problem. (No, I am not kidding)**

**So, I decided to really consider about how John and Cortana might be able to work their way through this. I'm not sure if my solution is probable, but I'm no physicist or anything like that, so bear with me here.**

* * *

**Among the Stars**

"_Okay, Pelican 234, you are cleared to continue."_

The male voice crackled over the com channel on the Pelican and Cortana let out a sigh of relief. They had been holding position for over an hour now, and she had been getting decidedly frustrated. The former AI may have possessed many amazing qualities, such as intelligence, memory and the like, but patience had not been one of them. Boredom had always been a vice for her, but as an AI, she had alleviated this by occasionally breaking into systems – many of which were meant to be secure – and making a few minor adjustments to them; nothing serious or dangerous, just a little bit disruptive.

But now she was a human, and her skills in that area were limited. Added to the fact that she was now a passenger on board a Pelican dropship, and her options were severely reduced, so it was inevitable that boredom would set in and start to drive her crazy.

Flicking her gaze to her right, Cortana spotted the only other occupant of the vessel, who was currently acting as the pilot. Even out of his armour, Master Chief John-117 still cut an imposing figure, but unlike the former AI, he had many years of experience in dealing with long waits. On the battlefield, he had been in many occasions where he – and frequently his squad mates as well – would have hunkered down and waited for hours or even days just for one target to present itself for attack. To him, being forced to wait in line for an hour in a Pelican dropship orbiting a planet was not that big a deal.

"See, I told you that we wouldn't have to wait too long," he said. Though his tone was mostly matter-of-fact, Cortana could not help but pick up the faint trace of teasing underlying it.

"One hour may not seem that long for you, John," she told him pointedly, "but for someone who used to be able to perform over a dozen tasks in the space of just one second, an hour might as well be an eternity."

"Well, you should have brought along a book or something," John teased. Cortana simply huffed and crossed her arms.

The UNSC was still very much in the process of rebuilding their colonies, and unfortunately, not enough personnel had been assigned to the necessary tasks, like flying the ships carrying supplies between the damaged worlds. John and the other Spartans had been approached with the offer to assist, and they had all jumped at the chance. Right now, their usual jobs were in something of a break period, and they needed something to keep themselves occupied. Granted, John did not get bored as easily as Cortana did, but even he had his limits. Plus, as a Spartan, he would be ideally suited to help keep the peace, and his strength would be an added benefit.

Right now, they were flying the Pelican to a UNSC warship stationed in orbit over Earth, which they would dock with and then ride to the colony that they had been assigned to. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, things had gotten a little jammed up, and their ship, along with at least a dozen others, had been forced to wait in orbit for an hour before finally being given the chance to move on. They both wondered if that little incident would simply be the first of many.

Ignoring the view of the warship in the distance ahead of them, Cortana looked off to the side part of her window; out to the black vista of space that was speckled with tiny pinpoints of light from stars that were millions or even billions of kilometres away. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of views like this," she remarked.

"I think I got tired of it a long time ago," John said gruffly. "I don't like it as much as having a solid ground beneath your feet."

"What if you were to get up and walk around for a while?" Cortana shot back at her lover. "Would that count as solid ground and make you feel better?" Her piercing blue eyes narrowed in defiance, as if she was just daring him to make a verbal comeback.

"That's not what I meant, Cortana?" John said defensively.

"Oh? So what _did_ you mean?"

He did his best to explain. "Being a Spartan, I am not exactly keen on anything that would put me at a disadvantage during a fight. Being forced to stay inside a floating piece of metal with no real chance to take a shot at the enemy; I consider that a disadvantage. That's why I prefer to be on the ground when it comes to fighting; I can do more things, and do them more effectively."

Cortana mused over what the Spartan just said. "Well, I suppose that does make sense, John. I mean, you _are_ a soldier, and have been your whole life. Still, that does not mean that you should write off the beautiful view of space simply because of a purely tactical reason."

Here, John could not help but let out a brief chuckle. One of the things that he loved about Cortana was her sheer tenacity and stubbornness, which prevented her from accepting any kind of total defeat. Even if she opted to back off and let the other person be the victor, regardless of exactly what the battle was, she always had to do something to ensure that the win was not one hundred percent. Her little admonishment about him possibly writing off a beautiful sight was evidence of that.

"No, I'd never completely write off a view such as this, Cortana," he said. "Truth be told, I do enjoy looking up at the stars, admiring their light and their natural beauty." He gave Cortana a brief glace at the last two words, as if he was referring to her as well. The former AI noticed this, and felt her face warm slightly as a faint blush came over it.

"In fact, when I was boy, I used to lie on the ground and look up at the night sky. Even after I joined the Spartans, I still did that with some of my friends; mostly Kelly and Sam. We used to wonder what mysteries and wonders lay out there. Whether or not there were aliens, and we would hope that we might be able to meet them one day." He trailed off and glanced over at the woman in the other seat. "Of course, that did not exactly turn out as we could have hoped, did it?"

"No, I guess it did not," Cortana admitted.

John turned his gaze back out the view port. "I have seen the worst that the universe has had to offer us and it scared me." He paused. "But that does not mean that I don't find it any less beautiful." He glanced sideways at her. "Especially when I am here watching it with you."

Cortana felt her heart flutter as she heard John say this and she smiled broadly. "You always seem to know the right thing to say to make a woman feel happy."

"Well, not any woman. Just you." This caused her to giggle a little, and the two of them just enjoyed the sensation they felt, which came by simply being in each other's presence.

Unfortunately, the feeling only lasted a couple more minutes. The radio crackled back to life, and the same voice that they had heard before from the warship came back over. _"Uh, attention all transport vessels. I am afraid to inform you that we are experiencing something of a backlog here, and as a result, we may need you to hold position for a while longer."_

"_Exactly how long do you want us to wait again?"_ This other voice obviously belonged to one of the captains of the other vessels, and judging from his tone, he was also not very happy with having to wait for a long time already, and the thought of waiting even longer was not an appealing prospect.

"_Um, maybe an hour,"_ the one from the main ship replied hesitantly. _"Maybe two."_

Not surprisingly, this caused a cacophony of disgruntled voices to break out on the airwaves, all of them voicing their disapproval over the consistently degenerating situation; some of them including colourful language in the process.

Frustrated, Cortana reached over to the radio and hit the mute button. Being stuck here was bad enough, but being forced to listen to a bunch of complaints would only exacerbate the situation.

In the seat beside her, John heaved a sigh; a sure sign that even his Spartan nerves were beginning to get frayed. "Well, it looks like this long day is going to get even longer," he grumbled. "Might as well settle back and wait. _Again_."

Leaning back in her chair, Cortana blew out a sigh of her own. More than anything, she hated being bored, so immediately she began running over a list of ideas in her head as to how she might make this unbearable situation a little easier on the two of them. It was not as if they were running low on time; no, thanks to the extremely slow grinding wheels of bureaucracy, they had plenty of time to kill.

Cortana had no idea why – in all likelihood, it was out of sheer boredom – but she found her gaze shifting over the controls of the Pelican, as if there might have been a switch that she could flick and make this whole fiasco either pass by quicker, or alleviate her boredom. She had no idea what could have made her think like this.

However, the doubts left her mind when her eyes came to rest on the gravity generator button.

After becoming a human, she had some experience with zero gravity, and she found the whole prospect fascinating, if only for the fact that an individual who was once bound by gravity found themselves free of it. As an AI, she had never had to worry about gravity, since she had been composed of light and photons. But then she became a physical entity and in turn had to get used to its effects. Nonetheless, she found the whole idea of weightlessness to be… liberating, somehow.

"You know what John?" Cortana said abruptly, "I think we could use this time to have a little bit of fun." After she said this, she started to undo her harness.

Confused, the Spartan looked at her. "What exactly are you talking about?" he asked.

Cortana did not answer him, but instead finished undoing her restraints, and then reached forward to hit the gravity generator buttons. Moments later, she felt her feet leave the metal floor of the deck as gravity relinquished its hold.

Laughing joyfully, Cortana pushed herself away from the pilot's chairs towards the doorway leading to the empty cargo area. As she reached it, she turned back to her lover, her hair floating free around her pretty face. "Come on!" she giggled happily before going through the door.

It was her playful laugh that really did John in. It was extremely rare for him to turn her down, but when she had a look of pure joy on her face and she laughed happily as she had just done, it was damn near impossible for him to do so. Seeing her enjoy herself like that was one of the things that he lived for. Shaking his head in mild disbelief, but still grinning to himself while he did so, John undid his own harness, and got out of his chair in his own way. He reached behind his head and gripped the top of his chair, and then pushed off with his feet, making him essentially flip backwards out of the chair. Manoeuvring himself around, he expertly guided himself through the doorway and into the cargo hold.

Pelican dropships had not always been known for much room on the inside, but later models like this one had been modified to allow for more space. That space was currently empty as the cargo had not been picked up yet, and so John and Cortana found they had enough space to float around in.

"What do you think of _this_, John?" Cortana laughed.

"Reminds me of zero g training," he replied.

She huffed out a sigh. "Seriously, does everything remind you of something you did in your military career?"

"Mostly yeah," he replied with a grin. "That doesn't mean that I don't know how to have fun." With that, he pushed off from the wall and launched himself in Cortana's direction. As he passed her he gave her just a little push. In normal gravity, it would not have had much effect, but in their current conditions, the conventional rules no longer applied, and as such the smallest action had much larger consequences. Therefore, John's little nudge sent Cortana into flying backwards into a spiral.

"John!" she cried indignantly, flailing out in response, attempting to hit him but to no avail. In fact, her movements merely served to make her twist and turn in every other direction, resulting in her tumbling around with practically no control.

Hanging back, John laughed at his lover's movements, and although she was still spinning around, she managed to place her hands on her hips and fix him with her trademark steely blue glare; one that was capable of making even the toughest of soldiers wilt.

"You think my little predicament is funny, do you?" she asked indignantly.

The usually-serious Spartan stopped laughing and addressed her with a smile. "As a matter of fact, I do. Especially when you consider that this whole zero-g thing was your idea of passing time."

Cortana heaved a frustrated sigh as she finally slowed to a stop. From John's perspective, she was now upside down. "Yes well, I'm afraid that I forgot to take into account Newton's law of physics; that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. If I had known this was how it was going to turn out, I might have come up with a better idea."

"Then why suggest to do a zero gravity experience then?"

Cortana looked down at the floor. Or rather, what the floor was from her perspective, which ironically, was the ceiling. "Because I've never done it before. And people have often said that it was an exhilarating experience where they were free from the traditional bonds of gravity. I don't know John, it just sounded so… liberating."

Instead of saying anything, John floated over to her. Though Cortana was now effectively upside down to him, he nonetheless took her head in her hands and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She responded in kind, and the upside-down kiss became more passionate with each passing moment.

When they broke apart, Cortana smiled. "Now I am _really_ starting to enjoy myself," she said.

For the next few minutes, the two of them simply enjoyed the sensation and experience of floating around in zero gravity, twirling around each other, stealing the occasional kiss or tender touch. For Cortana, it was another chance for her to admire the strong Spartan man as he moved expertly throughout the weightlessness of the cabin. Although strength mattered very little in these circumstances, the way he manipulated his own muscled form was enough to take her breath away.

As for John, the sheer joy that Cortana exuded was more than enough to make the whole experience worthwhile. Her laughter and playful mischief struck something inside him; something that he had never known even existed until he had started his relationship with her, and seeing her happy like this was all he cared about at that moment.

More to that, the way that her body moved simply captivated him. She was as graceful as a dancer, but seeing the supple lines and curves of her form react in new ways due to the low gravity; it just made her seem all the more sensual than usual.

For most people, being in zero gravity was an amazing experience, and the same could be said for John and Cortana. However, sharing it with each other and nobody else made it all the more intimate. And the way their bodies responded to each other; matching movement with movement, seemed unbelievably… erotic.

As Cortana was floating past him, John almost instinctively reached out and pulled her close to him. She responded by wrapping her arms and legs around him, drawing him close into an embrace. They drew each other into a kiss as they continued to spin around the cabin. No words needed to be said as the two of them broke apart and gazed into each other's eyes. There was only desire there, and they knew the best way to satisfy that desire.

Practically as one, the two of them began to pull off their clothing; both their own and each other's. Within a minute, they were both completely naked, their discarded apparel now floating around them in the weightlessness of the cabin.

Pulling back a little bit, John admired the woman that he loved with all of his heart. Her hair continued to fly in pretty much every direction around her head, but at the same time, her large breasts had been freed from the bonds of gravity and now seemed much more buoyant. He did not think he could get and more aroused or harder than he was at that moment.

Leaning his head forward, John began to lick and suck on Cortana's ample mounds; their tender skin, the sensitive nipples. The former AI leaned back and let off a loud moan as he did so, her pure ecstasy reverberating off the walls of the cabin.

John was about to move down Cortana's chest to her womanhood when an unconventional idea entered his head. Effortlessly, he rotated her body around in the weightless atmosphere, earning a squeal of surprise from her as he did so. "Relax Cortana," he chuckled. "I want to try something a little bit different."

Cortana was confused as to what he meant, but let out an involuntary gasp of pleasure as she felt him start to use his mouth on her opening. His ministrations sent waves of ecstasy through her body as he inflicted little thrills on her womanhood. Moaning softly, she saw that while they were in this current position, there was one ideal way that she could repay him in kind.

Pulling herself forward, she pressed up against John's body, with her head in his own crotch area. She reached out with one hand and grasped his hard and firm manhood and gave it a few gentle strokes before taking it into her mouth. She felt him pause with his own work on her womanhood to let out a soft groan. He continued, and his tongue hit a particularly sensitive area and forced her to let out a squeal of pleasure. Due to the fact that she had John's organ in her mouth when she did this meant that she sent a brief thrill of a vibration through it. This further excited him and inspired him to continue with his teasing of her soft parts.

_I don't know why we didn't try this before_, Cortana mused as she swirled her tongue around the head and shaft of John's solid man meat. _And doing it in zero gravity just makes it so much better!_ She gave a noise that was a combination of a moan and a giggle as John's mouth once again worked over a sensitive part. Though neither of them reached their orgasm just yet, the thrills that they were inflicting on each other just made the two of them feel as though they were in an entire universe of their own; one that was just them and the sensual pleasure between them.

Eventually separating, John and Cortana brought each other around until they were face to face once again, and engaged in a deep kiss, tasting each other on their lips and their tongues. Slowly, they brought their hips close together, until their intimate parts were touching.

Cortana let herself fall backwards until her body was at a right angle to John's. Gently moving her, the Spartan positioned her body into the ideal position, and he slowly eased his manhood inside her, sheathing himself to the hilt in her soft warmth. Cortana leaned her head back and let out a long moan of sheer bliss as John slowly started to move his hips back and forth, entering her wholly and pulling back out almost all the way before easing back in. He began to speed up the process and Cortana threw her hands up to her head, her hair and breasts bouncing free, and she began to groan loudly, spurring John on.

Despite the sheer pleasure wracking their bodies, John was dimly aware that their movements were actually having an effect on how they were floating around the cabin. He remembered about the whole 'every action has an equal and opposing reaction' aspect, and so his thrusting, as well as Cortana's responses to it, were sending them into something of a tumble; one that they had practically no control over.

Cortana did not seem to even notice, though. She was someone who usually paid close attention to most details, but right now, with John thrusting his erection in and out of her soft womanhood, she was in too much of a heavenly state to care about anything else.

John slowed down his movements until he came to a stop, with his manhood still firmly enclosed to the hilt in Cortana's warmth, and he reached out to the nearest wall – actually the floor – and began gently moving them along it.

Just coming down from the intoxicating haze of their lovemaking, Cortana gave him a curious glance. "John, what exactly are you doing?" she asked with a small giggle.

"Just getting a little more control over our movements," he replied as he continued to edge along the metal surface. "I don't want us to be on the brink of having an orgasm, and then suddenly go flying into a bulkhead." He gave her a grin. "That might kill the mood."

Cortana could not stop the laugh that came out of her, and the musical sound of it bounced off the walls and bulkheads. She felt like asking him what he meant, but instead chose to see where he was going with all of this. She quickly understood his plans when he brought them into one of the areas that had previously been occupied by seats.

Traditionally, Pelicans would have seats on the sides of the cabins, which were divided by looped bars attached to the walls. In order to make a little extra room so as to properly transport cargo, some Pelicans, including this one, had their seats removed. But because of the sudden demand for the ships, they had not been able to remove the bars, and so they remained.

John was not complaining about that little factor, as that was exactly what he were looking for. And come to think of it, Cortana could not find any reason to complain either.

Easing their joined bodies forward, John pressed Cortana up against the wall, and the former AI let out a sharp gasp the sensitive skin of her back came into contact with the cool smooth metal of the wall. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around the Spartan's waist, drawing him in closer. John grabbed the bars protruding from the wall on either side of her, and in the low gravity, he effortlessly began pulling himself inward and pushing outward at an increasingly rapid pace, thrusting in and out of Cortana while he did so.

Their pace once again taken up, Cortana resumed her pleasurable moaning, and her eyes rolled back in her head as the bliss once more took over her. Reaching out to either side, she grabbed the bars as well, her hands touching John's and she leaned her head back slightly. In between their two bodies, her large breasts again started to bounce around in the weightlessness. John started to grunt with each of his thrusts, and Cortana began panting his name breathlessly.

As John and Cortana continued with their energetic lovemaking, their discarded clothing continued to float around in the cabin. Nobody on any of the other ships had any idea of what they were doing. No, everyone else was busy trying to deal with this little snafu about the loading dock and the backlog that had already caused more than its fair share of problems. But the Spartan and former AI could not care less about the mission at the moment; all that mattered to them was each other and the intense passion between them.

The frantic movements made by John and Cortana caused a light sheen of perspiration to form on both of their skins, and drops of it would fly off of them and float in the weightlessness of the cabin.

Their climaxes rapidly approaching, John pulled himself even closer to Cortana, increasing his fierce thrusts – made easy by the lack of gravity – and slammed home into her every time. Her ragged breathing got faster by the second, and she continued moaning his name; louder each time.

Cortana was dimly aware of being pressed hardly up against the unforgiving steel bulkhead, and in the back of her mind, she was certain that this encounter was going to leave a few bruises on her. But she did not care in the slightest. She felt the usual well of pleasure building up inside her, and she instinctively tightened the grip that her legs had around John's waist, urging him in deeper and harder. The well inside her reached its pinnacle, and she let herself go, calling out his name in pure ecstasy as she climaxed. Less than a second later, John had his own orgasm, and he grunted loudly as he emptied himself into her. Cortana moaned as she felt his hot juices splashing deeply inside her womanhood.

The heavenly haze that she was experiencing made Cortana feel dizzy and lightheaded, and she leaned her head forward to rest against John's muscular chest. He responded by letting go of the bars and allowing them to float freely in the vacuum, holding her closely while they did so. He said nothing; just simply let her enjoy the afterglow of their intense lovemaking.

It was several minutes before Cortana finally gathered back the strength to move even her head. She looked up into John's eyes and drew in a shaky breath. "That…" she started quaveringly, "was just… incredible."

"I agree," he said. "Kind of makes this whole long wait worth it, doesn't it?"

Cortana laughed again, and placed a tender and loving kiss on her man. They spent a few minutes like that, just floating together, still joined as one, with their clothing continuing to float around them.

* * *

When the whole situation was finally cleared up and the main ship got underway, there were understandably many complaints from the captains of the various ships that had to dock with it. They had been waiting for hours with nothing to do, and understandably, they had been bored out of their minds with absolutely nothing to do.

John and Cortana simply smiled and walked the other way. Though they would be unable to repeat the whole zero gravity experience while on this ship, it would still take a few days before they reached their destination.

And as long as they were together, they were highly unlikely to get bored anytime soon.

* * *

**I hope you guys can appreciate the effort I put into this, because this one was actually kind of difficult to write, so I'm a bit unsure of the overall quality.**

**And I'm no expert on physics, so I do not know exactly what the mechanics are for having sex in space, but I hope this scenario is at least halfway feasible. If not, then who cares? It's fanfiction!**

**And, as usual, I hope you all liked it. I'll try to get the next one up around Valentine's Day (ironically appropriate, don't you think?)**


	7. On the Desk Again

**'Sup amigos!**

**I've been thinking about the requests you have been sending my way, and I'm trying my best to make chapters based upon them, but I've got some older ideas that I'm trying to hammer out first. Don't worry, I'm not like many other writers: I actually LISTEN to my fans! (grin!)**

**By the way, TheWolfHourx, I think that you and I might have seen the exact same documentary. Yeah, I do remember that woman and her 2-suit thing that she and her husband tested on the zero-g simulator flight. When I saw that, I thought that it had a lot of practical potential, but it seemed to lack that passionate edge that I was looking for. And you know me: this particular fic is all about the passion. The hot, steamy, sweaty, sensual passion!**

**Anyway, here's the next chapter, which as you can probably tell, is a repeat of one of my previous ideas, but done a little differently.**

* * *

**On the Desk Again**

John hated bureaucracy. He was not a politician or diplomat, who preferred to do battle with words in a board room against individuals who may or may not have been hiding their own agenda behind well-meaning words and fake smiles. No, he was a soldier, a warrior whose home was on a battlefield. Sure, many of his personal combat experiences may have left scars on him, both physical and emotional, but at the same time, he still much rather preferred that than being forced to play nice in a board room with a bunch of politicians who, in all likelihood, would have constantly been looking for the opportunity to stab him in the back.

Also, it was kind of hard to differentiate between friend and foe in these situations. In combat, his enemies were always easy to identify, either because they were an alien race, or they were humans who wore different kinds of uniform. Whatever the case, they were easy to spot, and easy to take out. A quick burst from an assault rifle, or a tossed hand grenade, and they went down, and stayed down.

Not here though. Here they were mostly humans with the occasional Sangheili interspersed, all wearing different uniforms or outfits, and they were all meant to be on the same side, each one doing their part to keep diplomacy going between the disparate factions now that the war between the UNSC and the Covenant was long over. Here he was, wearing cargo pants with the traditional camouflage pattern on them and a simple olive T-shirt with 'Spartan-117' stencilled on it in black, doing his best to keep his attention focused on the proceedings, but the long and repetitive talks had quickly begun to wear him down and cause his mind to wander. And he was a Spartan; trained to keep his mind sharp at the best and worst of times. So the fact that he was drifting off definitely said something.

A sharp kick to his leg brought John's mind back on task, and he turned to see Cortana glaring at him with her bright blue eyes. Usually they shone with mirth, but now they had a look on them that clearly said 'pay attention, will you!'.

Being a former Artificial Intelligence, Cortana had naturally been gifted with large amounts of patience, as she had often been forced to wait for long periods of time between tasks. Sure, she had the ability to carry out many tasks simultaneously, but even then there would be long periods when she would have nothing to do. And it would be in those instances that she would get bored and try to find something to occupy her time. The years that she had spent watching over John while they floated through space on the remains of the _Forward Unto Dawn_ were a testament to that.

Even after becoming a human, Cortana still managed to largely retain the gift of patience, and so she was naturally more capable of dealing with long, arduous and boring situations better than John was. But even she would have to admit that being forced to sit in on these seemingly endless negotiations drained her of that precious patience, and now she had no chance to find something else to occupy her mind. She was unable to multitask the way she used to when she was a computer program, and these limits often meant that she had to focus entirely on whatever it was that she was meant to be doing, no matter how boring it might be. This current situation was no exception.

Cortana would never admit it out loud to anyone, but she also wished that she and John were back in some kind of combat situation; something that they were familiar with and knew how to handle. If anything, she probably wished it more than he did.

Yes, politics and bureaucracy were two things that definitely sucked.

After the meeting finally came to an end, John and Cortana breathed a massive sigh of relief. As the delegates shuffled out of the room, the two of them sat back and let their bodies relax, neither of them realising that they had let themselves get to any such stage where they had gotten so tense.

It was only after the last of the delegates – a tall, lumbering Sangheili – was heading out the door that John finally spoke to Cortana. "I really hate this," he said simply, choosing not to dance around the subject.

Cortana rolled her electric blue eyes. "I am well aware of that, John," she said. "I could tell by your demeanour that you were bored out of your mind and it was taking every ounce of strength that you had to keep it on task here."

"So were you," John pointed out.

Cortana hesitated for a second before trying to come up with a response. Or at least an excuse. "Well, yes, but I was… uh, I… um…" she struggled for an answer and John could not stop the grin that was spreading across his face. Whether it had been now when she was a human, or back when she was still an AI, Cortana never seemed to be at a loss for words, or an explanation for something. She always had a response ready, and it almost always had a grain of truth to it. The very fact that she was struggling with just such an answer at this point meant that she could not honestly say that she had not been as bored as him. If not more so. And he found that to be quite amusing.

"Okay John," she finally admitted with a sigh. "I will admit that I was bored too. But unfortunately, we are required to occasionally play nice at meetings such as this."

"Yes, but I'm a Spartan," John pointed out, trying his best not to sound like an indignant child. "Politics is not my strong point. Shooting people and blowing shit up is. Why should I have to do stuff like this?"

"Because apparently, the UNSC brass feels as though that, since you are one of the greatest living legends of the human race, you should be here to keep the peace."

"Uh-huh," John said dubiously. "What about any of the other Spartans?"

"Apparently they were unavailable at the time."

"Unavailable or just chose to duck their responsibilities?"

"Okay, maybe a bit of both. Last I heard, you got this job because Fred, Kelly and Linda all called 'not it' on this one."

"Figures," John grumbled. "Now I'm going to have to kill them." This last comment naturally brought out a laugh from Cortana, and this put a smile on John's face. No matter how crappy his life might get – or at least, how crappy he _thought_ it was getting – just hearing his lover laugh or seeing her smile was more than enough to make it all seem worth it and put him in a good frame of mind once again.

The Spartan pushed himself out of his chair, bringing himself to his full height. "Well," he said, "looks like that little grind is done, so I think we can take some time out."

As he said this, Cortana stood up herself, then paused and reached into her pocket to pull out her slim PDA. Scanning over the screen, she held up one finger. "Hold that thought," she told him. "I just got a message from Lord Hood. Apparently, he wants us to report to his office as soon as possible. For what, I don't know."

John leaned his head back and let off a frustrated groan. "It just never ends, does it?"

* * *

Things did not improve when they actually got to Lord Hood's office. If anything, they actually got worse. They went there, hoping that they would be welcomed in by the venerable old officer, and he would proceed to tell them the nature of their meeting. Instead, John and Cortana were informed by the secretary that something completely unexpected had come up at the last second, and that Lord Hood had been forced to step out in order to deal with it, not knowing exactly when he would be back.

For all her calm demeanour that she exhibited earlier, Cortana was now on the verge of losing it and taking it out on the poor secretary. For the most part, John simply sat back and watched for a while as the former AI vented her frustrations vocally.

"Listen, we have been forced to sit in on boring negotiations for hours now, missy!" Cortana ranted. "We have done everything that was asked of us! And now, Lord Hood requests our presence here, and now he doesn't even have the common decency to show up? Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on here? Because right now, it feels like we're getting the royal screw-job!"

The secretary was a woman in her early twenties, and seemed like someone who had dealt with upstarts and blowhards on a regular basis. But this woman standing before her, with her fiery determination and electric blue eyes, was perhaps the one individual who had managed to unnerve her. But to her credit, she managed to hold on and make the best attempt she could at placating her.

"Ma'am, I do not wish for anything to go wrong for you, but unfortunately, these events are out of my control. Lord Hood was called away just a few minutes ago on what he said was urgent business, and that your meeting with him would have to wait until then."

John stepped forward, hoping to take control of the conversation from Cortana, if only to help ease her current level of stress. "It's okay, miss, we can wait. Did Lord Hood say what his urgent business was?"

"I'm afraid not, sir."

"Did he say how long he would be?"

The secretary bit her lip nervously, as if she felt giving the answer would not ease the problem, or even make it worse. "About forty or fifty minutes," she said tentatively.

"Forty or fifty minutes?" Cortana repeated incredulously.

_Well_, John thought, _that didn't exactly make things easier._

Attempting to placate Cortana before she let loose with another outburst, the secretary gestured to the wooden door of Lord Hood's office. "You can wait in his office, if you wish." She plastered a strained smile on her face, hoping that would also help ease things.

Cortana began to verbalise a response. "That is – "

"A good idea," John cut in. He gently grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in the direction of the office, ignoring her blustered cries. "Thank you, miss," he directed politely to the secretary. "Don't worry, we won't touch anything." Keeping one hand around Cortana's arm, he pushed open the door with the other one and proceeded to drag her inside.

Lord Hood's new office was one of those ones where you had to pass through two sets of doors, as there was an extra room in between it and the one housing the secretary's desk. Opening up the second door, he pulled the still-fuming woman into the room and guided her towards one of the two chairs surrounding the oak desk positioned at the opposite end of the room. Desks made of wood were something of a rarity nowadays, reserved mainly for the highest ranking officers, whereas lower people usually made do with ones made of other materials. Lord Hood had often stated that he preferred the feel of wood for his desk, saying that it felt much more natural. Right now, there were only a few papers on it, but nothing more.

John sat down in the other chair, glancing sideways at Cortana. "You know," he said, "I actually find it ironic that you were just telling me to remain calm and be patient with the meeting, and now I was the one who had to reel you in." He grinned.

"Knock it off, John," Cortana muttered sulkily.

"I'm not kidding, Cortana," he continued with a light chuckle. "You were about ready to tear that poor woman's head off! I thought that someone who used to be an AI would have lots of patience."

The woman turned her piercing blue eyes on him, frowning in annoyance. This only lasted for a few seconds, however, and her facial expression softened to one that was more frustration than anything else. She let out a long sigh. "Usually I am, John, but lately, I've just been under so much stress. My mother has been depending upon me so much lately." Here, she was referring to her creator, Dr Catherine Halsey, who had also been the template for her cloned body. "She's constantly busy, so I've been trying to ease her stress levels, and that unfortunately means that I have to deal with those stress levels too."

"I'm sure she appreciates the help that you're giving her," John said.

"She does," Cortana responded. "She has told me that many times. Unfortunately, I've also gotten other things to do for the UNSC, and that eats up much of my time, which in turn also saps me of my usually high levels of patience. Today, I was just barely holding together, and that little incident there," she jerked her thumb towards the door and the secretary outside, "was simply the proverbial final straw for me."

John listened to her weary confession intently, and when she finished, he gave her a look that managed to be both firm and gentle at the same time. "You know, maybe you need to take some time off. Have you ever thought of that?"

"Sometimes," Cortana admitted. "I've often considered just taking a few days off to catch up on some lost sleep, unwind a little." She reached up with one of her hands and began massaging her neck.

John watched these actions. "I don't suppose you want me to do the job of rubbing your neck for you?" he asked with some levity, raising one of his eyebrows suggestively.

Cortana stopped her movements and gave him something of a sideways glance for a few seconds. Afterwards, she smiled. "Well, my neck's not that bad, but if you don't mind…" she lifted her legs and placed her feet firmly in the Spartan's lap, "I could do for a nice foot rub right about now."

Rolling his eyes with a smile, John nonetheless pulled off the woman's shoes, and then proceeded to give her that which she currently desired. Those calloused Spartan hands had expertly handled every kind of weapon or explosive device that the human race or the former Covenant knew about, and had been instrumental in ending so many lives and causing massive amounts of destruction. And yet they just as easily massaged and kneading those knotted and sore areas on Cortana's feet. The former AI let out a low moan of appreciation. "Thank you, John, I really need this."

"You know me," John responded, glancing up slightly but never once ceasing his actions. "I would do anything for you, Cortana, and you know it."

Cortana thought about adding another statement, but then decided to simply lean back and let the light pleasure radiate from her feet and wash all across her body. She closed her eyes and felt a smile cross her face, just forgetting all of her usual cares and worries.

In her former life as an Artificial Intelligence, her job had been easy, as she could carry out many tasks in the space of time it took her to click her fingers, but humans were a bit more limited in those areas. Regardless, she had not hesitated to pitch in and do her part for the greater good. The downside, she quickly discovered, was the slow pace, along with the fatigue and weariness. They were just some of the negative aspects that she had to get used to. Others included long hours, dealing with annoying personnel, and the like.

She could definitely understand why John had much preferred being at war and he could simply shoot his enemies or blow them up. Similarly, Cortana would have to admit that it was easier for her when she had been an Artificial Intelligence serving on board a UNSC ship. In combat situations, she could partake in cyber-warfare, even going so far as to infiltrate an enemy vessel's systems and sabotage it in some way, like trapping many enemies in one room and then opening it up into the vacuum of space. That was not really something that she could do while at the negotiation table.

John was right about one thing: bureaucracy and politics definitely sucked.

John. Now there was one thing that Cortana was definitely grateful for; the one person who could be considered the single most important aspect of her life. There was Dr Halsey, of course, but their relationship was that of a mother and daughter. No, her relationship with John was different, and had gone much deeper and more intimate than ones typically shared between two individuals, be they human, AI, or whatever. They had looked after each other, cared for each other, and been there for each other in the very best and very worst of situations, and neither one of them would have it any other way.

And how they expressed their physical relationship was, without a doubt, one of Cortana's favourite things in existence. Hell, maybe even _the_ most favourite. They made love so often, it almost seemed like every day, not that either of them were complaining about it. In all likelihood, if it weren't for the birth control measures that Cortana was using, she was willing to bet that she might have gotten knocked up quite a while ago.

Actually, Cortana would have to admit that the foot rub that John was giving her, and the way his hands and fingers worked over her sensitive spots, was more than just a little comforting. It was actually kind of… erotic. Especially in the way that it sent ripples of pleasure radiating throughout her body. Involuntarily, she let out a moan of ecstasy that was a bit louder than she would have intended. It was not too loud, but it still caused her to flash a quick glance at the door, wondering if the secretary had perhaps heard it. Looking back at John, she saw him giving her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Cortana," he said. "She can't hear anything going on in this room."

The former AI furrowed her brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Many of these offices," John explained, "are built upon a design that provides them with total secrecy, even from the people in the next room, and that includes state-of-the-art soundproofing." He nodded towards the door. "And since there's not one, but two doors between us and her, it's highly likely that a gun battle could go off in this room, and she'd be none the wiser."

Cortana raised an eyebrow. "So we could make as much noise as we want, and nobody would have a clue?"

"Pretty much, yes." As he said this, the Spartan continued his foot massage, and Cortana once again found little tendrils of pleasure reaching up from her feet and coursing lightly through her body. These began to stoke the fires of desire in her being, and she felt her breath begin to quicken a small amount. Even after all this time, it simply amazed her how the man known as the Master Chief could bring about such a reaction in her physical being. Almost without realising it, she moved one of her feet in John's lap, and began slow and sensual stroking of his groin area with her toes.

This sudden act by Cortana made John falter in his movements, and he stopped the foot massage in order to glance at his lover in surprise. Not a negative kind of surprise though. Quite the opposite, in fact; it was a positive and appreciative type of surprise. As much as he could invoke amorous reactions in her body, she was more than capable of doing the same to his. As a Spartan, he had undergone augmentations that had the unintentional side effect of stunting his sex drive, but it had obviously taken a woman like Cortana to bring them out again.

"You know," Cortana began lightly, "that secretary did say that it would be quite a while before Lord Hood would come back."

"Yes, she did," John replied in that husky tone that he used when he felt his own desires being stimulated. It was a sure sign that she was definitely having an effect on him.

"And you also said that nobody would be able to hear through the doors…" she let the sentence hang, smiling lecherously.

"Also true." He raised an eyebrow suggestively. A few seconds passed with no further words being said between them. No words even _needed_ to be said. Instead, Cortana slowly and deliberately took her feet back off John's lap, and then – in one swift movement – practically launched herself out of her chair and into his arms, the two of them immediately engaging in a passionate kiss, their lips and tongues practically swirling around together.

John wrapped his arms around the waist and back of former construct, holding her closer and tighter to him, and at the same time, Cortana responded by locking her arms around his head, urging him in to an even deeper kiss. The two moaned passionately into each other's mouths, breaking apart only when the need for oxygen started to become very noticeable.

"You do realise that it's not exactly right for us to be doing this in the office of our commanding officer?" John pointed out.

Cortana simply smiled in response. "Of course. But that's also what makes this all the more fun!" In response, he could only smile and pull her in for another kiss just as hot as the one they had just shared. It seemed as though all of these desires that had been a part of her mindset, both as a hologram and now as a human, had resulted in Cortana having developed a playful streak that was at least a kilometre wide, and she had no problem with acting upon it. Not that John was complaining. Not that he had any justifiable reason to be complaining, anyway.

While still locked in a passionate kiss, John stood up, picking up Cortana as he did so. While sitting, she had been straddling him, and now she had her legs wrapped around his waist as she persisted in assaulting his face and lips with kisses. Walking them over to the desk, he dropped her down onto the edge of it.

Cortana pulled away from him with a smile. "Looks like we're doing it on a desk again," she pointed out as her hands began to work on the fasteners of his belt.

"Yes, it looks like we are," John answered back eagerly. He could tell that this particular encounter between the two of them would be a hard and fast one, requiring little foreplay beforehand. Not that it mattered to either one of them; neither one could remember even a single one of their experiences that was negative or lacklustre in any way. Not that first one that resulted from a chance meeting on a beach, not that time they did it in the Warthog, or even when they had sex on Dr Halsey's desk.

_And it looks like now we're breaking in Lord Hood's desk_, John thought as he felt Cortana divest him of his belt before pulling his pants and briefs down, letting them gather around his ankles. His hardened manhood, all nine inches, sprung into view, and Cortana let out a moan of pure wanting at the simple sight of it.

She wanted it, and John was all too willing to give it to her.

Now it was his turn to take off her pants, and he obliged without complaint. John undid the belt and slid the fabric down Cortana's nice, firm and toned legs, pulling her panties down as he did so. He felt his own spike of excitement as her moistened womanhood came into view.

With her lower half of clothing now completely removed, Cortana perched herself back on the edge of the desk and spread her legs apart, licking her lips in a hungry anticipation. John responded in kind by positioning himself in between her toned limbs, rubbing the tip of his manhood against her opening before plunging it all the way in. Cortana's body jerked suddenly as a spasm of ecstasy rocked her being from the penetrating move, and then she wrapped her legs around the Spartan's waist, easing him in closer.

John groaned softly as he felt himself being enclosed within his lover's soft and firm warmth, and took a few moments to simply enjoy the amazing and head-spinning sensation. He began pulling out slowly, then easing back in, repeating the process over and over, starting off slow, but picking up pace as he did so.

Cortana leaned back as she felt the pleasure begin to wash over her, first in slow bursts followed by progressively larger ones. As she felt them course through her body, she was reminded of the simple fact that John never seemed to disappoint her when it came to pleasure. The foot rub was enjoyable, there could be no doubt about that. But that now seemed to pale in comparison to pure and passionate sex.

_God, I love this man so much!_ Cortana thought as she leaned back, continuing to do so until she was lying flat on the desk, feeling the firm wood on her back. Looking up at the man known to so many as the Master Chief, she saw the intense and yet glazed look that he had whenever he was in the grips of pleasure; something that only seemed to happen when they were copulating. She continued to rove her gaze over his muscled form and handsome face. Many men would have possibly found themselves beginning to strain at this particular exertion, but not the Chief. No, John was a Spartan, and that strength always seemed to come through in moments of passion such as this.

Both she and John were naked from the waist down, while keeping their top halves on; John in his dark green T-shirt with his military title stencilled on it, and her in her usual zipped-up top of her UNSC uniform. The apparel usually clung to her curves, and right now, it was doing its best to contain the motions of her ample bosom as it bounced back and forward along with John's energetic thrusts.

_Screw it_, she thought through the haze of euphoria, and she reached up to the zipper. Grabbing it, she slowly brought it down to her navel.

John watched her do these movements as he continued to thrust in and out of Cortana. She pulled the zipper down to her belly button, but chose to stop there instead of going all the way down. Nonetheless, she pulled back the fabric on both sides, allowing the large mounds to spring free. Just seeing them excited John so much that he had to slow down for a moment, lest he reached his climax too soon. He did not want to blow it – so to speak – and so he allowed this sudden spike to recede before picking up the pace again.

This did not go unnoticed by Cortana. She knew exactly what kind of reactions she had could provoke from John, and her body was definitely an important factor in them. Just as seeing his well-muscled form and stiff manhood could make her go weak at the knees and stoke inside her a fire that could only be quenched by pure intimacy, she was aware that her own body had the potential to bring the mighty Spartan to his knees.

For several passion-filled minutes, John continued to stand over Cortana as she laid face-up on the desk, thrusting in and out of her and causing the former AI to moan in sheer ecstasy and bliss. She rolled her head side to side as the passion wrought havoc on her body and her exposed breasts continued to move in time with the thrusts.

Both of them were dimly aware that, even though there were two soundproof doors between them, there was still a slim possibility that the secretary outside could still hear them. In addition, there was the chance of Lord Hood returning from his errand a bit earlier than usual. Neither of them cared in the slightest though. In their own world, it was just them.

Cortana was so lost in this euphoria that she didn't realise that her orgasm was creeping up on her. By the time she noticed this, it was already too late to prevent it, and she bit her lip to keep herself from crying out too loud as the explosion of pure pleasure rolled over her body. Just as she was only starting to come down from this haze, she felt John thrust himself as deep inside her as he could, and experienced his own climax, emptying himself inside her as he did so. Cortana let out another moan as she felt the hot liquid fill her.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as both of them simply remained there, him standing over her and she still lying back on the desk with her legs wrapped around his waist. The experience had sapped the strength out of her and so her legs were not holding on so tightly, instead being more relaxed. Neither of them said anything, not wanting to ruin the situation by talking or interrupting in any way, and so just remained where they were, simply enjoying the afterglow of their sex and the continued feeling of being joined so intimately.

Both of them found themselves being immensely grateful for the fact that Lord Hood had been called out. It had not been a waste of their time at all.

They just hoped that he would not find out what they did on his desk.

* * *

**I think this one's a bit different than my other chapters. The others have a noticeable build-up to the act, but in this case, it's just hard and fast. Originally, I did not plan that, but then I thought, "Eh, screw it! Mix it up a little." Hope you guys like it.**

**When I did the desk one earlier, I was trying to decide if it should be Halsey or Hood's desk. In the end, I decided to do both of them in two different chapters. So, mission accomplished!**

**Is it just me, or are John and Cortana having a REALLY tough time keeping their hands of each other? (Big, sneaky grin)**


	8. In the Cuffs

**In the Cuffs**

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**Hey, sorry for the delay, but I've been involved in doing other things in my life, and I've also suffered from quite a bit of writer's block. Truth be told, I'm kind of running out of steam with this fic, so I'm sorry to tell you all, but it might not be going on for much longer. I'll keep going for as long as I can, though, because your reviews are the best part of writing these fanfics.**

**In this chapter, the title pretty much says it all. Some of my loyal readers have been bugging the hell out of me for this kind of chapter (halo-and-callofduty-fan, I'm looking at you!), so I finally figured 'why the hell not'?**

**And I usually set the scene up, but this time, I decided to dive straight into it. Enjoy.**

* * *

_John did not dream that often, but when he did, it was usually related to actual events from his life, particularly his career as a Spartan. He dreamed of his moments on the battlefield, from seeing his enemies and allies alike fall under a hail of bullets or plasma shots, or blown into many pieces by a violent explosion. Or seeing one of his fellow Spartans, his brothers and sisters, die, and then come to be known as 'Missing in Action'; something that only he and a select few others knew the truth about._

_But some other dreams had events that he did not remember happening in his life. Him dying, his few remaining friends falling in battle, being assimilated by the vile entity known as the Flood, or being captured by his enemies and subjected to horrible experiments and torture._

_This particular dream was a torture one. He was in a cell of some kind. The room was so dark that not even his enhanced eyesight could make out the shadows. He could see anybody else, let alone able to determine whether they were humans, Elites, Brutes or whatever._

_John was stripped of his MJOLNIR armour, and now stood only in a simple pair of pants. His arms were held in some kind of shackles above his head, and try as he might, he could not get them free. He did not even know how he ended up in this position in the first place._

"_There's no point in struggling," a smooth voice said from out of the darkness, "you are well and truly trapped, my dear Spartan."_

_There was something unusual about that voice, familiar even, but John's frantic mind could not make it out. He was too busy fighting against his restraints at that moment. Still, he could not help but notice that it did not seem particularly malevolent. In fact, it seemed almost… playful._

"_Yes," the voice said again, "you are now completely at my mercy, John."_

_The voice also sounded smooth and feminine. And, come to think of it, it seemed very familiar…_

"_And now, I get to have my fun with you!"_

_Hang on. Was that Cortana?..._

* * *

John snapped awake, and in the space of just a few seconds, he took stock of where he was and what situation he had found himself in. With a feeling of relief, he saw that he was not in a prison cell, but rather in the bedroom that he shared with Cortana. And he was not standing up with his hands restrained above his head. Instead he was lying on the bed.

There was one thing that remained the same though: his hands _were_ restrained above his head. Straining his head to look upwards, John saw that his wrists were locked in a pair of handcuffs, with the chain looped around the middle bar of the head frame.

_Ok, so that's one thing out of my dream that is still true,_ John thought. _Now why the hell am I in this position? I wonder if—_

And then he put two and two together and remembered the voice from his dream. The smooth, sensual, feminine voice that had sounded all too familiar. All of a sudden everything started to make sense to him.

"Cortana," John groaned.

As if bidden, the AI-turned-human appeared before him. She was straddling his waist with an extremely mischievous grin on her face that told the Spartan that she had some interesting plans for him that definitely had something to do with the fact that he was now cuffed to the bed frame. Plans that certainly had something to do with some type of erotic fun.

"Glad to see you're awake, my dear Spartan," she practically sang.

John sighed. "Cortana, is there any reason as to why you have cuffed me to the bedframe like this?" He already knew the answer, but part of him simply felt like asking her for the sheer sake of it.

"Oh, I just thought it would be fun of us to try a little… experiment, of sorts," she replied, her grin seeming to become more mischievous. "An experiment in… bondage and domination, I believe."

"An experiment?" John echoed dubiously. "Seems to me that you simply want to tie me down and then have your way with me."

Cortana shrugged. "Well, I suppose that if you wished to explain it in the most basic of terms, then that would be the drift of it, but I for one like the way I described it."

"Of course you would," John muttered.

Cortana chose to ignore that little remark and continue explaining. "Anyway, I've heard some stories about people using cuffs and other sorts of bondage equipment during sex, and I thought that it would be an interesting idea."

"Uh-huh. And where exactly did you hear these ideas? I don't think many of the scientists and researchers at the base are prone to just spout off about this kind of stuff."

"Well, you're right about that," Cortana admitted as she began to trace imaginary symbols on his chest with her finger. "This is the sort of thing that the soldiers would say. And you know me; I'm nearly always paying attention. That and, well, there's only so much you can do at the base before becoming bored out of your mind."

John raised his eyebrow. "Are you telling me that you spend much of your time at the base coming up with weird and unusual ways for us to have sex?"

Cortana laughed. "Well, not all of the time, John. Just most of the time, I guess."

John flopped his head back on the pillow. "Now you're just teasing."

Cortana moved herself up so that her face was next to his. "It _is_ one of the things that I do best," she said, before planting a loving kiss on the Spartan's lips. "Now just sit back and enjoy your little punishment."

Cortana's playful mood finally seemed to rub off on the usually stoic warrior, and he allowed himself a smile. "As you wish," he said.

The smile on John's face was all the encouragement that the former AI needed and she let loose a giggle. It was getting close to a year now since she had undergone the procedure to become human, and in that time, she and John had engaged in a passionate relationship, making love at least several times a week. Admittedly, her new body had taken some getting used to, but once Cortana had settled into the flow of things, she could understand why humans seemed to enjoy engaging in intercourse so much. The chemical responses that this act induced were simply euphoric, and when one added in the emotional aspect of a relationship like the one between her and John, well, that just made a truly wonderful thing all the more special.

And Cortana had not been kidding when she said that teasing was one of the things that she did best. As an Artificial Intelligence, she had always been witty and quick-witted, but had lacked the ability to do anything serious in the physical sense due to her simple lack of corporeal form. But now that she was a solid presence that was no longer an issue. She had developed a playful streak at least a kilometre wide, and had almost zero compunction about using it.

Leaning back from the chained Spartan, Cortana continued to shoot him a smouldering look of desire as she pulled off her top and then her shorts, revealing her amazing nude form. Just the sight of those tantalising curves was enough to make John's manhood harden, and his shorts began to bulge. Cortana noticed this and smiled. This man had often been considered by others to be an unfeeling killing machine, but she knew better, and the fact that the simple sight of her body was enough to provoke such as response in him never ceased to amaze her. Not only that, but it simply served to turn her on even more.

Cortana decided to experiment with this a little, and she began to slowly and sensually run her hands over her body; her flat stomach, her long neck, her toned thighs, her large breasts. As she did so, she closed her eyes and let out long and soft moans at the feeling that her own hands were giving her, relishing in the wondrous sensation that had originally been denied her in her former life as a holographic avatar. She remembered all of the times that her new flesh and the nerves within had stimulated her to the peak of pleasure; from when she first pleasured herself to the countless times that she and John had made love. She held all of that in her mind and let her hands wander, eliciting breathy moans and gentle sighs of desire all the time.

Cracking her eyes open, Cortana saw that John's manhood, obscured by the fabric of his shorts and already significantly hardened, seemed to become even more solid, and this legendary soldier known as the Master Chief let out an involuntary whimper that could only be described as one of pure desire. Cortana smiled, knowing that she had succeeded in her goal, and that she definitely had him right where she wanted him.

Lowering her body back down to his, Cortana kissed the part of his flesh just above the band of his shorts, below his navel. Running her tongue along it in circles, she felt the Spartan's body react to her ministrations. Her face was now perfectly positioned that all she had to do was move a little bit lower to his aching member…

But instead, she moved her head further up his torso, planting kisses along it as she went. She heard him let out another whimper, whether it was of desire or frustration, Cortana could not tell, but she figured it was a little bit of both. But she was not done with her fun yet. Not by a long shot. She had him right where she wanted him, and she was going to get as much fun out of this experience as she could.

As she continued kissing up his torso, Cortana would frequently come across one of the many scars that covered his body; reminders of his long life at war. Even now, she found it disheartening that one man could endure such pain, and in a path that was not of his choosing. Nonetheless, she managed to make it all worthwhile. Cortana ran her lips and tongue along the sensitive skin, eliciting groans from the usually stoic Master Chief.

As she kept moving up, Cortana let her body tease his in an obviously-blatant way as she let her breasts drag along his crotch; first the right one, followed by the left. Feeling the soft ample mounds pressed up against his manhood seemed to be almost too much for the Spartan, and he let out a low animalistic growl through gritted teeth. For a moment, Cortana thought her sensual teasing was going to make him erupt in premature orgasm, but he managed to clamp down on this, and he body relaxed once again.

Cortana smiled and crawled up his body till her face was equal to his. "Ooh, for a second there," she sang teasingly, "I was afraid that you were going to go off early."

John growled back in response. "It's not that easy to maintain self-control when you tease me like this."

"Maybe not, but admit it, you would not have it any other way, would you?"

John simply gave her a look that was usually only seen in a man that was being sexually tortured endlessly by a woman, but was too stubborn to admit that he was enjoying it so much. Cortana giggled, and then continued with her kissing, this time starting just below his neck and moving down.

As she persisted in assaulting the Spartan's torso with her lips and tongue, Cortana once again allowed her curvaceous body to rub against his, particularly his groin area. Though he was prepared for it this time, John still groaned in sheer desire at the feeling.

When she finally reached his groin, Cortana immediately hooked her fingers into the band of his shorts and smoothly pulled them down. All nine inches of John's thoroughly hardened manhood sprang into view, and she wrapped her hand around it, giving it a few gentle strokes. Normally, she liked to just use her hands or her mouth to stimulate him, but this time, she decided to do something much more sensual.

Positioning herself between John's legs, Cortana moved her body up until his member was against her chest, positioned in between her breasts. With her hands, she pressed the two ample mounds together, sandwiching his manhood between them. Cortana heard a low groan from John, and she smiled as she began to move herself up and down, letting her breasts go up and down the length of the Spartan's organ and stimulate the sensitive nerves collected within.

From his prone and captive position, John felt his mind start to spin. Ever since that little incident on the beach, he and Cortana had managed to develop an amazing sex life with each other, and had done it in practically every known position, as well as in a variety of environments; ranging from in the driver's seat of a Warthog to the zero gravity atmosphere of orbit. It seemed as though Cortana wanted to experiment everywhere and any way that she could and he was all too happy to comply.

But even now, she still managed to blow his mind. Truth be told, he had always wanted to do the sex act known colloquially as a titjob, but he had not been too sure how to mention this to Cortana. Of course, given her somewhat liberal attitude to their sexual escapades he probably should not have worried too much. Now she had gone and done it for them, so he was finding no reason to complain. Instead, as Cortana continued to move her breasts practically bounce up and down his manhood, he simply leaned back slightly and relished the sheer ecstasy of the sensation.

Cortana could not help but smile as she beheld the reactions her movements were giving to her lover. She had actually known that he was willing to experiment with a titjob, but being the uptight Spartan that he was, he tended to keep his mouth shut about things like this. Fortunately, she knew him better than he knew himself, and she was more than willing to accommodate.

Slowing her movements down, Cortana then stopped and pulled her chest back from John's crotch. The Spartan looked down at her questioningly, wondering why she had suddenly ceased these incredibly erotic and stimulating ministrations. He opened his mouth to ask something, but then closed it again once Cortana bent down and began to use her own on his manhood. Instead, he chose to lean his head back once again, and let out another low groan of desire as he felt the former AI moving her lips up and down his shaft and swirling her tongue around the head.

Since John's member was about nine inches long, Cortana was hard pressed trying to get as much of it into her mouth as she could, but it really did not bother her in the least if she was unable to do so. All that really mattered to her was the pleasure she was giving her man, and that which he gave her in return. For a couple of minutes, she licked and sucked the Spartan's manhood, spurred on by the grunts of pleasure that he sporadically let off. A couple of times, John pulled against the chains of the cuffs around his wrists, but the way they tightened around the bedframe reminded her that he was captive, completely and wholly in her grasp.

And that was the way she wanted him. This time, she was the one in control.

Releasing John's organ with a soft 'pop', Cortana licked her lips and fixed her man with another smouldering glare; one that told of the sheer pleasure that she was feeling at how she had complete control of him. He returned a look that said 'do to me whatever you want'.

Crawling up John's body, Cortana positioned herself so that her womanhood was situated directly over his crotch. Lowering herself downward, she felt his manhood slide deeply into her moistened opening until all nine inches were sheathed into her warmth. As she settled for a few seconds against him, Cortana closed her eyes and let out a low moan, feeling her body tremble slightly at the sensation.

Opening her electric blue eyes, Cortana looked down at her captive lover; effectively her little sex toy in this little romp of theirs. The normally stoic and unflappable Spartan was beginning to pull against the chains of the cuffs and letting out small but noticeable whimpers. Cortana knew why; usually he liked to hold her close and have his hands on her body when they made love, and even though she usually wanted that too, this time, she wanted him to be completely at her mercy.

Smiling lecherously, Cortana leaned down to give John a brief but passionate kiss on the lips. "Calm down now, my dear Spartan," she said liltingly, placing her finger on his lips to shush him. "I have only just begun to have my fun with you." She pushed herself back up so that she was up straight and straddling him, and then she began to slowly rock her hips, grinding against his and stimulating his organ once more.

Feeling so utterly helpless and yet completely enjoying this situation, John simply relaxed and watched his woman use her body to pleasure his. Even when she had still been an AI, there was no doubting the intense connection between the two of them, but since she had only been a hologram, and he had his sex drive stunted by his augmentations, well, that left things kind of limited. But now that Cortana was human, and he had gotten over that little hurdle of his, it seemed as though they could not get enough of each other. Sometimes John wondered if he should have found a way through his sexual issues sometime in the past, but it was all a moot point; Cortana had been and would always be the only one for him.

And although he would never admit it to her or anyone else, although he had been used to being in control of most kinds of situations, particularly on the battlefield, he really enjoyed it when Cortana played the dominant role during sex. If this was torture, then he would gladly let her torture him like this for the rest of his life.

Cortana stopped grinding her hips against John's and started to move her body up and down his manhood in a soft bouncing motion, squeezing her large breasts as she did so, and letting out moans and groans all the while. It was not long before she began to feel the pleasure begin to build up inside her, letting her know of her impending orgasm. She sped up her movements, stroking and stimulating John's organ at an even quicker pace. As she felt herself being pushed closer to the brink, Cortana heard John begin to groan at a quicker pace; a sign that he was approaching his own climax as well. Usually, she would just let them come together, but this time, she had a different plan in mind. One that would inflict a kind of torture on him that he would want much more of.

As she reached the pinnacle of her pleasure, Cortana stopped in her bouncing, sheathing John's manhood to the hilt in her, and let out a long moan of ecstasy as she felt her orgasm wash over her. After a few seconds, the euphoria began to subside, and she looked down at John with her glazed blue eyes. A light sheen of sweat was beginning to appear on the Spartan's body, and just by looking at his face, Cortana could tell that he himself had been getting close to his own orgasm before she stopped suddenly to experience her own. But that had all been part of her plan.

Leaning down again, Cortana pressed her curvaceous body against John's muscular one and gave him a peck on the lips. "Is something the matter, my dear Spartan?" she asked playfully, knowing full well what was up with him.

The Spartan, normally an unrelenting force, now seemed to be at a loss for words, only managing to let out a few whimpers. After a few tries, he finally got out a response. "You, uh… you seem to have… had no trouble… uh, climaxing… but… but I, uh…"

Cortana could not help herself here. She let out a laugh at the whole situation. The famed Master Chief, a certifiable nightmare on the battlefield, was reduced to putty in her hands! It was so delightfully wonderful! "But you were unable to do so?" she finished for him. John nodded weakly. "Well, that's the whole point, my love. I want to make you practically beg for it." At this point, John's look became one of sheer helplessness, and he seemed to sweat even more.

The former AI absolutely loved the irony of it: the Covenant had not been able to make the Master Chief back down, and she had been able to use her feminine wiles to bring him to his knees!

With John's hands still restrained above his head, Cortana was able to place her hands on the mattress on either side of his chest, allowing her to gain optimal balance and begin rocking and bouncing her hips against his once more, moving her womanhood up and down his member and beckon him towards bliss once more.

From his captive position, John's head was practically spinning. Here he was, in a captive position by his girlfriend, who was now using her perfectly feminine body to bring him to the point of orgasm, but let him down before reaching the peak, thus prompting him to want it all the more badly. When she had still been a sentient computer program, neither of them had even the slightest inkling that their relationship would eventually evolve to this point, but neither of them found any reason whatsoever to complain about it.

And that body of hers! Just watching Cortana throw her head back with her bright blue eyes closed, her long and slender neck, and those perfect breasts bouncing with her movements. John would have given anything at that moment to have his hands free so that he could grasp those wonderful mounds, but at the moment, he could not even find the words to speak, let alone string words together into a coherent sentence. Through the dim haze of his clouded mind, he was aware of the pleasure beginning to build up inside his lower regions once more.

As Cortana felt her second orgasm ripple through her body, she heard John's groans increasing, and she knew that he was getting close to his own climax. Though part of her felt like making him hold off for a bit longer again, she decided that she had tortured him enough, and that it was time to bring this encounter to a satisfying conclusion. And she felt the best way to do this was through something new.

As John felt himself reaching orgasm once again, he felt Cortana stop and move herself upward, allowing his manhood to fall out of her. At first, he thought that she was trying to torture him again by making him hold off and he started to open his mouth in protest. Whatever protest was on his tongue quickly died when he looked down and saw her wrap her hand around his shaft and begin to stroke it furiously.

As she stroked John towards his finish, Cortana looked up at him and into his glazed eyes. "Come on, John," she said in a husky tone, "don't hold back on me." She smiled sensually. That smile alone was enough to push John much closer to his breaking point, and her handjob brought him even further. John's groans increased in volume and intensity, and with a quiver from his muscular form, he reached the peak and went over.

With a loud groan from the Spartan, Cortana felt John climax, and as she continued to stimulate his manhood with her hand, she looked down to see a stream of his man juices spurt out and land on her breasts. Continuing to tease his organ, another stream came out, and another. By the time she was finished, John was lying limp on the bed, still handcuffed, and his manhood was limp and spent. Cortana's breasts were practically covered with his semen.

After taking a few seconds to allow her lover's breath to return to its normal rate, Cortana looked at him, a smile back on her face. With one finger, she absently traced lines and circles in the sticky substance that now coated her ample bosom. "So, John," she said with a giggle, "I trust you enjoyed your little torture?"

Looking down at her, John managed a weak grin. "Well, I must admit that it is better than anything the Covenant could have done. Their methods tend to hurt quite a bit."

Cortana laughed again at his little quip, and then stood up. John was slightly mesmerised by the sight of her breasts covered with his male fluids. It was simply one of the most erotic sights he had ever seen. "I'm glad you liked it," she said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go clean myself up." She turned and headed towards the bathroom.

"And then you'll let me out of these cuffs?" John asked.

As she reached the doorway, Cortana looked over her shoulder at the still-captive and naked Master Chief. "Oh no, my dear Spartan," she said in a tone that was both lecherous and malicious. "Not yet. No, I still have plans for you."

With that, Cortana headed into the bathroom; leaving John to wonder just what else she had in store for him.

* * *

**Be honest, was this the hottest chapter yet? I'm just asking because I kind of got that vibe when I was writing it. Hell, the climax part is pretty evident of that, right?**

**For those who want a threesome, sorry, but I'm afraid that it's not happening in this fic. I just wanted to show John and Cortana's sexual relationship and keep it between them. If any of you want to write one involving a third participant, by all means do so, but I'm sticking to this format.**

**Also, to MasterChief-Spartan117, your suggestion that the third member being Dr Halsey seems kind of… well, weird to me. I always thought that John looked upon her as a mother figure, and although he is engaging in a sexual relationship with an AI-turned-human who is effectively Halsey's daughter, for him to do it with the doctor herself would be something like that Oedipus story from Greek mythology. (In short, truly sorry to disappoint you, my friend, but not happening.)**

**Anyway, I will try to be not so long with the next chapter.**


	9. Still in the Cuffs

**Still in the Cuffs**

* * *

**Greetings again, my faithful readers!**

**Again, sorry for the wait, but I've had a few other things occupy my time lately (and I will admit that I am something of a procrastinator). Anyway, I've been reading up on the news of **_**Halo 4**_**, and I am still excited for it! I hear that they will probably be focusing on the relationship between the Chief and Cortana, and I am oh so eager to see what developments will arise.**

**As much as I would like to see Cortana become human and start a physical relationship with the Chief, I must admit that I am not so confident of that. To be honest, many of my shipping preferences (particularly in **_**Star Wars**_**) tend to fall by the wayside, which totally sucks and might actually make me lose hope in having a meaningful relationship of my own.**

**If you think that Cortana should somehow become human in the next trilogy, voice your support people! It happened for Joker and EDI in **_**Mass Effect**_**! Although EDI did not actually become human, but rather transferred into a robot body that was nonetheless sleek, sexy and visually appealing. But it essentially falls into the same category, right?**

**Moving along now. This is actually a continuation of the previous chapter, and you might need a bucket of cold water next to you when you read it. Doubt me? Then read on and find out…**

* * *

With a sigh, John felt himself awaken from the sleep that had taken him. Cortana's previous ministrations had left him slightly drained, and rest had come easy to him. But knowing the former AI, it would have been only a matter of time before she would have woken him up again anyway, simply so that she could enjoy inflicting more torture on him; torture that would have been agonising and wonderful for him at the same time.

Straining his head to the side in order to glance at the clock on the bedside table, John saw that it had been only three hours since their previous adventure, and that dawn was still a while away. Looking to his other side and downward, he now saw the form of Cortana, as naked as he was, cuddled up against him with her arm thrown across his torso and a contented smile on her beautiful face.

Cortana had always been playful, both when she was an Artificial Intelligence and now that she was a human, but nobody could have guessed that she had also developed a kinky streak, but it seemed as though she was now indulging in it to her heart's content, and the man whom she had entered into a passionate relationship with had experienced the brunt of it all. Not that he found any reason to complain about it, though.

Just over three hours earlier, John had awoken from a fitful sleep to discover that his lover had actually gone and handcuffed him to the frame of their bed, and she had proceeded to have her way with him, bringing to the point of climax more than one before letting him down, until finally letting him orgasm and release his load all over her ample breasts. Afterwards, she had gone into the bathroom to clean herself up, but not before she promised John that she was only just starting to have her fun with him.

After coming back out of the bathroom, Cortana had decided to get a little bit of rest before continuing with her sexual torture, and had fallen asleep beside John in the way he now found her. The Spartan had also decided to rest as well, still being handcuffed to the bedframe.

But now, he was awake, and wondering what lay in store for him. Though she continued to slumber, he had little doubt that Cortana still planned to inflict more insidious sexual torture on him, and he could only wonder what that could possibly be.

Straining slightly against the cuffs that continued to bind his hands, John found his mind wondering how much longer he would have to wait until his lover would awaken. He contemplated waking her himself; after all, it was not as if he did not like the torture. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Actually, another possibility began to enter John's mind, and he realised that it sounded _much_ more appealing.

And he _was_ a Spartan; it was not as if restraints such as the ones around his wrists were something he had not dealt with before…

* * *

Cortana smiled as she awoke, stretching her body slightly as she moved. She reminisced on the events that had occurred just a few hours before, and how she had the famous Master Chief completely at her mercy; handcuffed to the bed and all but begging for her to torture him with pleasure. Cortana had used her body to inflict agonising ecstasy on the augmented super-soldier, bringing him to the brink before letting him down, just to make him want it so much more.

And when she finally made him climax… Cortana had felt him erupt inside her womanhood, her anus, and in her mouth, and it always felt like the most wondrous sensation in the universe. But having him expend his seed upon her breasts was a whole new experience, and she had enjoyed every second of it. It was – no pun intended – the icing on the cake of seeing him completely at her mercy.

And she was not done with him just yet. Oh no, Cortana was far from finished with John. She could hear him in the bathroom, but when he came back, she would…

Cortana's eyes shot open at the sudden realisation. She had left him handcuffed to the bed. If so, then how could he have managed to get into the bathroom?

Cortana began to sit up, only to find that she could not manage it; she was being pulled back by her left hand. Looking up, she saw that the handcuffs – the same ones that she had restrained John with – now had one cuff looped around her left wrist, and the other secured against the railing of the bed.

John had managed to slip out of the restraints and now used them to cuff _her_ to the bed!

"I believe the proverbial saying in this instance is that the shoe is on the other foot."

Recognising John's voice, Cortana looked towards him as he stood in the bathroom doorway, still as naked as she was. Though he had been schooled from a young age to keep his expressions under control, he had his arms crossed and made no attempt to hide the smug grin on his face.

Cortana glared at him, her blazing blue eyes flashing with annoyance. "Very funny, John. How the hell did you get out of the cuffs?"

John practically sauntered over to his restrained girlfriend. "Cortana, I'm a Spartan. Throughout the course of my life, I have found myself restrained by virtually every kind of cuff known to humans or former Covenant races, so understandably, I learnt long ago how to get out of them. Those cuffs are made of a tough metal, but they are also of a very simple design; one that can easily be circumvented."

Cortana's eyes narrowed. "So, in theory, you could have gotten out of the cuffs at any time? Even when I was busy having my way with you?"

John responded with a casual shrug. "I guess. But I suppose I must admit that I was enjoying your torture a little too much to even want to break free."

The corner of Cortana's lips quirked upward in a grin. "Glad to hear that. Now, are you going to let me go?" she gestured to her cuffed wrist.

The Spartan walked over to the bed and climbed onto it. "Not just yet," he said in a low, smooth voice. He positioned himself so that his massive and muscular form was hovering over Cortana's prone body. "I'm thinking that since you got to have your fun with me, then it only seems fair that I get to do the same to you."

The captive woman opened her mouth as if to voice some kind of protest, only to find herself cut off as John's lips descended onto hers, silencing her in a deep and passionate kiss. Instinctively, Cortana let her lips open slightly, allowing her and John's tongues to begin dancing and swirling around each other. Any protest that started to form in the mind of the former AI quickly died, and she found herself not caring in the slightest, wanting only to let the soldier have his way with her. Though she enjoyed it immensely whenever she was able to assume the dominant position during sex, Cortana would have to admit that she actually liked even more when the tables were turned, and the Spartan dominated her.

Moving his chapped lips down from Cortana's full ones, John started to kiss down her neck, moving along the pulse points, licking and nibbling ever so gently at the tender flesh there. Cortana leaned her head back and let out a contented sigh that slowly turned into a moan of pleasure. She felt her whole body go limp save her right arm – the one that was unrestrained – which she placed on the back of John's head, holding him and practically urging him in closer.

Moving down to her breasts, John reached up with his hands to grasp the firm and supple D cup sized mounds. He squeezed them and pinched the nipples before using his mouth on them, licking and sucking on them, stimulating the delicate flesh.

As John worked her breasts, Cortana felt the excitement building rapidly in her, and almost immediately, she felt herself being worked towards her peak. _John's fondled my breasts many times before_, she managed to think through the euphoria that was already starting to cloud her mind, _but he hasn't made me come from that alone!_ As the pleasure continued to build, the thoughts just as quickly left her mind, and she gave herself over to the ecstasy.

While stimulating Cortana's breasts, John could hear her breathing get quicker by the second and become more ragged; something that he had learned a long time ago meant she was fast approaching her climax. He knew that some woman came just from having their breasts stimulated, but he could not recall it ever happening to Cortana.

Not that he was caring, of course.

John persisted with his licking, rubbing and squeezing of his lover's breasts, hearing her increase the rate of her breathing until she reached a crescendo. At this, Cortana involuntarily bucked her hips upwards and let out a brief squeal of pleasure. She followed this with a low moan as she came down from the sudden high of her unexpected orgasm.

Ceasing his actions on her breasts, John waited a few moments for Cortana to come down from her sudden euphoria before looking up at her with a grin. "I think that's the first time that's happened for you; orgasming from breast stimulation," he quipped.

Cortana swallowed and took a couple of breaths before she could answer. "I… I think… you're right, John." She looked as though she was trying to say something else, but the climax had left her mind too muddled to form a coherent thought.

John decided to take opportunity from that. "Well, I'm not done yet," he said. "You got your fill from torturing me, so it's only fair that I get to even the score." Cortana opened her mouth to say something, but immediately found herself cut off as the Spartan resumed his assault on her body. This time, he started at the flesh just below her breasts. He had heard that for many women, this particular area was rather sensitive, and Cortana was no exception. As he ran his lips and tongue over the skin below her right breast and stroked the skin under the left with his finger, the former AI let out a little yelp that was equal parts surprise and pleasure.

Once again wracked in physical bliss, Cortana could do nothing apart from lean her head back against the pillow and close her eyes as she was subjected to the achingly wondrous sensations inflicted upon her body. Her free right hand seemed to have a mind of its own as it rubbed her neck before moving down to her breasts and gently squeezing them, adding to the feeling.

John proceeded to move down his lover's perfect body. After becoming a human, Cortana had made a point of keeping in shape, eating right most of the time and exercising regularly. The result was a well-toned and curvaceous figure, complete with a flat abdomen, which the Spartan was now kissing downwards, stopping briefly to dip his tongue into her sensitive navel, earning a brief giggle from her.

Moments later, John's face was down at Cortana's womanhood, now thoroughly moistened due to her increased level of excitement, not to mention her previous orgasm. Flicking his tongue out, he teased the delicate flesh for less than a second, yet it was enough to make Cortana gasp and arch her back forward in pleasure; a seemingly involuntary response. Grinning slightly, John lashed out with his tongue again, this time for a slightly longer time, and received a similar response.

John repeated this process, drawing his lover's exquisite torture out for the length of a minute and then longer. For Cortana, she felt a brief sting of ecstasy before being brought down. But before she could completely settle, John struck again, resulting in another spike of sensation for her. The end result was a level that kept increasing ever so slowly, bringing her closer and closer to her next climax. She wanted to reach her peak and get it over with, but at the same time, she wanted it to last as long as she could make it.

At the same time, John could hear Cortana's gasps increasing in both length and volume, indicating that she was slowly but surely getting closer and closer to another orgasm. His tongue and jaw were beginning to feel the slightest amount of fatigue, but he persisted. As far as he was concerned, the positives definitely outweighed the negatives many times over. As Cortana's gasps got longer and louder, he increased his tempo, until she reached her pinnacle, and let out a loud and lengthy moan, her hips once again bucking upwards.

This time, however, the Spartan was not interested in letting the former AI recover. While she was still coming down from the significant high of her latest climax, he began teasing her womanhood once again, this time using not just his tongue, but his fingers as well.

Cortana let out another cry as she felt John insert his fingers into her and begin working the sensitive bundle of nerves that served as her clitoris. As he did so, he once again lashed out with his tongue, teasing her delicate flesh.

Less than twenty seconds had passed since her last orgasm, and Cortana had felt the pleasure well up inside her once more. "J… Jo… John…" she attempted to say something, but could only managed to squeeze out his name before her third climax washed over her body. She felt her head spin and her vision began to go blurry.

John was fully aware of what Cortana was experiencing, but he did not hesitate for even a second, instead choosing to persist in using his tongue and fingers on her delicate womanhood. This was exactly as he had planned, after all…

Her head positively swimming, Cortana felt as though she had lost all control over her muscles. Her restrained arm fell limp, pulling against the cuff. Even her voice had seemingly failed her, leaving her completely unable to voice even the feeblest of protests. Through the murky cloud of euphoria that now shrouded her mind, she could feel only the excruciating pleasure that the Spartan was inflicting upon her, and all she could do was think incomplete thoughts.

_Please, John… please…_

Please what? Please stop? Please continue? Cortana did not even know what she was thinking of, and she found that she didn't care.

She felt the pleasure building up inside her one more time, and as she felt herself being pushed over the edge once more, she fell into blackness…

* * *

Cortana cracked opened her eyes. It seemed to take a great amount of strength to do so, but she finally got them all the way open. Her vision was blurry, and as she waited for it to clear up, she attempted to drag her mind out of the euphoric haze that she was in. As her eyes focused once more, Cortana looked down and saw John still positioned in between her legs. Instead of pleasuring her, he had stopped and looked up at her, as if waiting for her to make a full recovery.

As she looked down at her lover, Cortana noticed that her entire body was shaking. It was quivering ever so slightly, and she seemed to have no control over it. It was as if the pleasures that she had been subjected to had caused her body to react in a way that was independent from her mind. Her mind itself was still somewhat fogged from the events that had just occurred.

"What happened?" Cortana asked in a shaky voice.

John grinned as he responded. "You had four orgasms in a row. The pleasure was obviously so great that it caused you to pass out."

Normally one to have a comment for every situation, Cortana was rendered speechless at this. She had been aware of the fact that John was giving her multiple orgasms, but the very thought that he had actually made her pass out from them was… well, it was absolutely mind-blowing! Like the fact that her body was quivering uncontrollably, it was a testament to how her lover could inflict such wondrous sensations upon her. Just another one of the many reasons as to why she loved him so much.

Her body still trembling slightly, Cortana managed a weak smile. "I guess this is part of your torture for me," she said. "I had my fun with you, and now you are getting even, right?"

"Oh, absolutely," John replied smoothly. "The main difference is that you managed to keep me on the edge of having an orgasm, but letting me down just before I had it, and doing that process over and over again. My method is pretty much the opposite; I make you come over and over again until you can't think straight. I wasn't exactly planning to make you pass out, but I'm not complaining." He gave a victorious grin. "And I don't think you are either, are you?"

Cortana's body had finally managed to stop its uncontrollable trembling, but John's remark had sent an involuntary shiver of pleasure through her. "Oh, definitely not, John," she said breathlessly.

John's grin became more predatory; a look very rarely seen on his face. "Good. Because I am not done with you yet."

Cortana opened her mouth, whether to protest or whatever, she did not even know exactly. Any words that would have formed on her lips died as the muscular Spartan repositioned himself, moving his head away from the spot in between his legs and putting his waist there instead. Cortana let out a soft squeal of surprise as she felt the tip of his manhood penetrate the soft lips of her opening, and this turned into a low moan of contentment as she felt himself slide his shaft all the way into her, burying himself to the hilt.

Almost immediately, Cortana could feel her body start to quake in response to the sensations she felt as the Spartan began to move in and out of her in a slow but determined pace. An involuntary jerk of her body reminded her that she was still handcuffed to the bedframe, but as John began to increase his thrusts, the former AI once again to lose all forms of care, and simply revelled in the sensation.

Seeing his lover at his mercy, John was spurred on to increase his tempo. Memories of their previous encounter earlier that night flitted through his memory, reminding him of how she had had him at her whim, inflicting exquisite torture upon him. Well, now the tables had turned, and John could not deny that he was enjoying even the sheer irony of the situation.

With each one of his thrusts, John saw the way that Cortana's body reacted. Her breasts moved back and forward with each thrust, and her head was thrown back into the pillow. For the most part, Cortana's eyes were shut tightly, but every few moments, they would open, and he would get a sight of her electric blue yes, clouded in euphoria.

Cortana's moans started out low and even, but with each consecutive thrust, they got slightly louder and more ragged, and the length of time between them got shorter and shorter. John knew that she was getting close to climaxing again, and he increased the speed of his thrusts even more.

Cortana's breathing reached fever pitch, and as she experienced yet another orgasm, her body clenched and bucked upwards involuntarily. She caught her breath and let out a long moan as the feeling washed over her. John slowed his thrusting, but never stopped completely. He wanted her to recover slightly, but not by much. No, that was all part of his little plan for her.

"I hope you're not going to pass out on me again," he growled softly, "because I am still not done with you yet." Cortana cracked her blue eyes open, looking up at her lover. It seemed as though her voice had failed her once more, but her eyes held all the meaning that he needed. Right now, they essentially said _keep doing whatever you want to me_.

John persisted in his thrusting, plunging himself in deeper and harder. The flesh of his thighs met with hers over and over again, making a gentle slapping sound as they did so. Even over this, Cortana's moans were easily heard. He knew it was just a matter of time before she was going to reach yet another climax, and she did not disappoint.

Cortana let out another moan as she had her next climax, and it took every ounce of her willpower to prevent her from lapsing back into consciousness. As agonising as she felt this torture was, she did not want it to stop for even a second. She had heard of people quoting that they felt like they had died and gone to heaven, and that almost seemed appropriate for her at this particular moment.

As she climbed back out of the haze of pleasure she was swimming in, Cortana was aware that John had ceased in his thrusting, and now leaned over her to capture her lips in a gentle kiss. Her left hand was still cuffed to the bedframe, but her right hand was free and she placed this on the back of his head, drawing him closer into the kiss. As they parted, she took in a deep breath, not realising until then that she had been running short of air. Apparently, the multiple orgasms had done a number on her breathing.

"I don't suppose," Cortana started, pausing to take another breath, "that you are finished just yet."

John simply smiled in response and gave her another quick kiss. "Not quite," he said. "By the way, how many times have you come tonight?" Without waiting for an answer, he did his own calculations. "Let's see, you had two when I was handcuffed, then you had another four when I went down on you and made you pass out. And now, I've just given you two more. That's eight in total! Wow, that's definitely a record for you!"

Cortana was rendered speechless at this revelation. Sure, she had been aware that she was experiencing multiple orgasms, but the pleasure brought on by them had definitely clouded her mind, thus making it very difficult to keep track of the number of them. And when one was subjected to that kind of ecstasy, they usually cared less for keeping track and more with just experiencing the situation. Still, the thought of her having a grand total of eight orgasms from a night of hot, passionate sex was unbelievable, to say the least.

"Oh yeah," the former AI said, finally finding her voice. "That's definitely a record for us." She smiled seductively. "I don't suppose we could go for number nine?"

John gave her a look. "Is that an invitation?"

"Well," Cortana said in a breathy voice, "you did mention that you were not quite finished yet. And I am completely at your mercy…" she trailed off, indicating the handcuff that still connected her left hand to the bedframe.

"That is true," John said. He pulled backwards a small amount, allowing himself to slide out of her womanhood. "But let's try something a little different." With that, he used his strong arms to easily flip Cortana's body over so that she was now lying face down on the bed. This movement earned a gasp of surprise from the former AI. Nonetheless, she her boyfriend have his way and positioned her with her rear end sticking up in the air.

At first, Cortana figured that John was going to give it to her doggy style, and she looked back in anticipation. She received a pleasant surprise, however, when she felt the tip of his manhood against the opening of not her womanhood, but her anus.

"I figured we might try anal again," he said. Cortana said nothing, but nonetheless gave him a quick smile before turning her head back forward.

That was all the motivation that the Spartan needed, and he slowly eased his shaft into Cortana's ass. It was made easier by the fact that it had been lubricated by her own juices, including the small amount of fluids from her own orgasms. It was much tighter than her other opening, but John still managed to get nearly all of himself inside. After taking a couple of seconds, he began to thrust in and out.

Cortana's head was practically swimming with the current sensation. Hell, it practically swam with images from the whole night. First she had handcuffed John to the bed, and had proceeded to give him a titjob, a blowjob, and then straddled him and ridden him to the brink of ecstasy, only to let him down before repeating the process. She had proceeded to stroke him off to his own climax, covering her breast with his juices.

Then she had woken up to find that he had slipped out of the cuffs and put them on her, and had then gone down on her, making her come repeatedly before passing out. Afterwards, he had made love to her missionary style. And now he was bending her over and pumping himself in and out of her ass.

Through it all, Cortana had been subjected to a total of eight orgasms; definitely a personal record. In fact, as she felt John slam home into her rectum over and over again, she felt the stirrings inside her that told she was on her way to her ninth climax of the night…

As he thrust hard into Cortana, John watched as the movements made her ass cheeks jiggle, and her moans spurred him on in his movements. The feeling of her tight anal opening around his member sent little thrills throughout his own body, and he let out his own soft groans. He had definitely had more than his fair share of fun in this encounter, but he figured that it was time for him to bring it all to an end. As he heard Cortana's breathing quicken in warning of her next climax – _damn, nine orgasms!_ John thought – the Spartan felt the sensation inside him that he himself was approaching his end.

Her face pressed against the pillow, Cortana felt the familiar welling of pleasure caused by the experience of John's manhood thrusting in and out of her anus, and she felt herself come for the ninth time that night. She was now completely overwhelmed, and only dimly aware of John's own ragged grunting. She knew he was getting close to his own finish, but her mind and body were completely spent, unable to form a coherent phrase, either verbally or mentally. She just wanted to let John do with her what he wanted. And that was exactly what he did.

Thrusting into Cortana one last time, John buried himself as deeply as he could and groaned loudly as he reached his climax. Cortana felt hot spurts of liquid as she felt him fill her ass with his juices. Once expended, John slumped against her, his own ragged breathing slowing to a steadier pace.

* * *

The pair just lay like that for a few minutes, the residual pleasure leaving their bodies sapped of energy, and neither could be bothered to move. Eventually, John let Cortana out of the cuffs, and the couple settled into a more comfortable position. Both of them noticed that Cortana's body was starting to tremble once again

"I guess having numerous consecutive orgasms does that to you," John quipped.

Cortana smiled and leaned up to place a tender kiss on her lover's lips. "Well," she said, "I guess that's a personal record for me; nine times in one night!"

John held her closer. "I don't suppose you want to go for ten?" he asked mischievously.

Cortana sighed. "Tempting, but maybe another night. Right now, I could do with a rest." She snuggled her nude body closer into the Spartan's own naked form.

John felt like offering a rebuttal, but then decided not to bother. The two of them had gotten more than their fair share of pleasure that night, and that was enough for them. Looking down at his lover, John saw that Cortana was already asleep. He figured that being subjected to the kind of ecstasy he had given her would definitely have exhausted one out thoroughly.

Instead, he smiled and put his arms around Cortana, drawing her in closer. He gently brushed his lips against her forehead and closed his own eyes.

His last thought before succumbing to sleep was that it was probably a good thing that they were not required to be anywhere in particular later that day, because they could probably do with a sleep in.

* * *

**Be honest here, this feels like the hottest and steamiest chapter I have ever written; not just in this story, but ever. I feel this might be the climax (no pun intended) of the fic. Don't worry, I'll keep going for as long as I can, but that will most likely be only a few chapters.**

**Till next time, my friends.**

**Also, if you think that Cortana should definitely become human, then let it be known on all the sites that matter; 343, Bungie, and the like.**

**I also would like to see Miranda Keyes come back to life somehow, but that's a different matter.**

**To reiterate, till next time.**


	10. After the Fight

**After the Fight**

* * *

**Aaaaaand, I'm back! So sorry for the hiatus, my friends, but I have had a lot to do in my life lately. That includes trying to start my own official writing career, which unfortunately means I will be doing less fan fiction in the future. But don't worry; I have decided to keep going with 'On the Beach' for a while longer. I don't know exactly how many chapters this will have, but I'm gunning for between twelve and and fifteen. I also slowed down with this fic because I was running short of ideas, but recently I came up with a few more, so we're good for now.**

**As an added bonus, I took this opportunity to re-introduce a well-known **_**Halo**_** character into my story. It's stretching the canon a bit to include them, but that's the beauty of fan fiction, right? And this chapter will be a little bit longer than the others, okay?**

* * *

No relationship was without its ups and downs. This was something that Cortana had realised long ago. Sure, even if there was a couple that had a seemingly ideal relationship, there was still the possibility that an argument or disagreement would crop up. Hell, it was not just possible, it was practically inevitable. And she and John were not an exception to this rule.

Still, that did not stop her from musing that it would have been nice if they could have avoided it nonetheless.

It had started out simple enough, with John getting the call from his superiors that he was needed on yet another mission out on the frontier of UNSC territory. Apparently, some insurrectionists had joined forces with a group of Kig-Yar pirates, and had been stirring up trouble. Nothing too serious at the moment, but the powers-that-be still felt that it was best if the situation was dealt with before it could potentially spiral out of control.

And John had given his trademark response; immediately and unquestioningly accepting the mission. Cortana had been there with him, and had given a response of her own; she had rolled her eyes and groaned internally. Fortunately, John had his back to her when she did this, and the person on the screen had not seemed to notice her presence.

Still, John had detected the change in her behaviour. The relationship between the two of them had long since progressed to the point where either one could easily pick up on the emotions of the other. Hell, they had been close to that point when she was still an Artificial Intelligence on a computer chip in his helmet. Now, after they had been getting intimate with each other on a regular basis, it had become much more pronounced. For both of their sakes, neither of them had said anything right there, nor had they brought it up on the trip back to their place. Instead, they had just sat in silence; one that was not exactly comfortable.

It was only after they had gotten back to the home that they shared that it finally all came out in the open. It was John who initiated the conversation; apparently he could wait silently behind enemy lines for days at a time, but staying silent in front of his girlfriend at a time like this was not so easy.

He asked her what was bothering her, and she responded by telling him unconvincingly that nothing was bothering her. He pushed the topic and insisted that something was the matter, and she eventually caved, admitting that she was starting to get tired of all the situations when he was called off to fight yet another enemy. The war was long over, and Cortana saw no reason as to why he was still risking his neck on a regular basis.

John replied that although the war was over, he still needed to keep the peace. And such a job required soldiers like him. At this, Cortana countered by saying that he was not the only soldier, and that he needed to take it easy now. Then John seemed a bit insulted by her seeming to doubt his abilities.

The conversation pretty much continued in this strain, with neither John or Cortana raising their voices to each other, but they still spoke to each other in firm and not-exactly-friendly tones. Most people would not have considered such an encounter to qualify as a fight, but to those who knew this pair, it would definitely be classified as one.

That night, John retired early, stating that he needed to be up and ready to leave in the early morning. Cortana said that she would stay up a while before coming. But instead, she stayed downstairs, mostly watching TV, and trying to calm the negative vibes that she felt in her mind. Sure, she and John had experienced their periods of turbulence, but never before had there been this level of… snideness, she supposed. It kept her up well past midnight, until she dozed off on the lounge.

The next morning, Cortana woke up stretched out on the lounge. Casting her eyes over to the clock on the wall, she saw that it was nearly ten, and she figured that she had missed John leaving. Her gaze fell upon a slip of folded paper lying on the coffee table. She picked it up, unfolded it, and read the message that John had scrawled upon it (apparently in haste). He said that he was sorry that he had to leave again, but he would try to make it up to her once he got back. He also reminded her of how deeply he loved her, and this served to pick Cortana's heart up a little bit.

Now, it was a few days later, and Cortana had done her best to keep her mind off worrying about John, mostly by throwing herself into her work. It was not as if she was worried too much about his chances of survival, but more about the potential fallout they would experience over her disagreement with him. She had never given him the cold shoulder before, and truth be told, she still did not know why she had done it this time. If she was to venture a guess, she figured it would have to be a combination of two things: her being unable to accompany him anymore, and her belief that after fighting for more than three decades he should have earned a _very_ long break. The latter never seemed to happen due to the crises that always cropped up.

Heaving a sigh, Cortana rested her head in her hands and proceeded to run her fingers through her hair. Normally, she could solve whatever problem she was dealing with by herself, but this time, she figured that she could do with a little bit of help. But from whom exactly? Dr Halsey? No, as close as Cortana was to her mother, and as much as she respected her and admired her intelligence, she was not about to discuss with her issues regarding her love life. Especially when one considered that John was probably the closest thing the doctor had to a son. Kelly or Linda? Also no, they were too close to John; not a bad thing, just probably not the thing she was looking for at this particular moment. Definitely not Fred, since this probably called for a discussion with another female.

Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, the answer came to Cortana. Even if this individual was not the ideal person to answer questions like this, they could at least provide a sympathetic ear as she poured her heart out to them. They would not judge her, but do their best to assist nonetheless.

Reaching into her pocket, Cortana pulled out her phone and made a call.

* * *

Sipping from her cup, Cortana felt the warmth and the taste of the coffee spread across her tongue. Of all the flavours that she had experienced since acquiring taste buds, she had to admit that coffee definitely ranked high up on her list. Sure, a lot of people found it to be bitter, but it was no less refined or delicious. Her creator and mother, Dr Catherine Halsey, practically lived on the stuff, claiming that she found it difficult to get any work done unless it was providing her with some much needed stimulation. Sometimes, the former AI wondered if she had inherited her appreciation of the drink from her; they _did_ possess the same DNA, after all.

This little café, located just a twenty minute walk from her and John's place, was one of the places Cortana liked to come and unwind, and they definitely served a decent coffee. Frequently, she would bring the Spartan along, though he was more inclined to have a cola or some form of energy drink.

The hustle of activity around the café provided just enough background noise to ensure a bit of privacy for people engaged in a discussion. Right now, Cortana was grateful for this; she didn't want anybody eavesdropping on this conversation.

The person sitting opposite of her was another woman, and appearance wise, she shared more than a few traits with Cortana. The two women also looked to be around the same age, at least biologically, and most people who saw them would be inclined to think that they were sisters. And, for all intents and purposes, they would technically be right.

Miranda Keyes had suffered a terrible injury at the hands of the Prophet of Truth during the battle of the Ark; he had shot her in the back with a needler, burying a total of seven deadly spikes into her flesh. Most people would have died from such a wound, and would have been amazed that someone survived; at least until Miranda told them that she actually _had_ died when this happened. After this, Johnson carried her body away so as to prevent it from being infected by the Flood. She was placed in a cryo tube on board the _Forward Unto Dawn_. When the ship was travelling through the portal back to Earth, it had the good fortune of being in the front half, and after returning, it was kept on ice for years until advancements in technology could be made to repair the damage to her spine.

At around the time that Cortana became human, Miranda was given the treatment to fix her broken body, and she was brought out of the state of death which she had been suspended in for so long. At first, the doctors thought that she would be unable to walk again, but she soon proved them wrong. Shortly after she began walking again, she packed her bags and walked right out of the front door of the hospital, seemingly oblivious to the shocked looks of the hospital staff that still expected her to be dead, or at least paralysed.

Almost immediately after this, Miranda was contacted by her mother, Catherine Halsey. The two had a very tumultuous relationship from the get-go, and as time passed, Miranda simply refused to speak to her. After her rise from the dead, she seemed to have mellowed enough to once again talk with her. Catherine emotionally told her daughter that she was sorry for being a bad mother, and that Miranda had every right to ignore her, but that even if they never spoke again, she would be happy at simply knowing that she was alive.

Miranda simply gave a small smile, and said that the past could not be changed; instead, they needed to only be grateful for the chance to still be alive after the war, and that they even _had_ the ability to converse. After this, she wrapped her mother in a tight hug, and told her that she loved her, and forgave her for any past mistakes. It was one of the few moments in Catherine Halsey's life when she was too overcome with emotion to talk.

When Cortana became human, Miranda was one of the people who assisted her in learning the basic functions and aspects of the human body. The pair already possessed many similarities in terms of appearance, attitude and intellect, so they quickly bonded. And since Cortana's body was made with DNA from Dr Halsey; Miranda's birth mother, then technically, they were related too. When Cortana brought this up, Miranda smiled and said that she had always wanted a sister, then hugged her. Their relationship had only gotten stronger since.

And right now, Cortana was relying on her sister knowing the correct advice to give in regards to her relationship troubles.

"I have to admit that I am kind of surprised that you and John had a fight like this," Miranda said as she raised her own coffee cup to her lips. "I mean, the two of you have always come across as the perfect couple." She took as drink as Cortana gave her a mild glare across the table.

"It wasn't a _fight_, per se," she said, emphasising the word 'fight'. "Fights usually involve raised voices and an occasional object getting thrown."

Miranda snorted in laughter, keeping her mouth tightly closed to prevent any coffee being sprayed. She swallowed the liquid and placed her cup back down. "Whatever you say," she replied lightly. "But you've still got to admit that the two of you trading barbs like this is definitely not how you usually do things."

Cortana sighed. "No, you're right," she admitted. "Don't get me wrong, I love him so much, and our relationship has always been strong, even back when I was just an AI. And yes, I've often gone off at him before, but I can't understand why this one was different." She heaved a sigh. "I guess it's because he has risked his neck so many times that I just got tired of it all. Is that really too hard to understand?"

"No," Miranda confessed. "But you've got to understand that John is a Spartan; he's bred for war, and he will always jump at the call. Is that too hard for _you_ to understand?"

Cortana glared at her. "Whose side are you on?" she said.

"Both of yours," the other woman replied firmly. "I care about you both, okay? John's been a good, loyal friend for so long. He was there when my father died, and I will never forget his loyalty or dedication for that. As for you, you're my sister, and I will never abandon you either. I just think that whatever troubles the two of you are going through, then you need to work through it together."

Cortana opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again, and was silent for a few seconds as she contemplated. One of the reasons why she and Miranda had developed such a close relationship was that they had similar outlooks on life. They were loyal and cared deeply about those closest to them, but also knew to balance that emotion with logic.

Even way back when Cortana was still an AI, Miranda could see that there was more to the relationship between her and John than met the eye. Sure, there was the professional relationship of him being the Spartan, and her being his construct assistant, and most would probably not see anything more than that, but Miranda could see that it went deeper. Maybe it was because she had been working with Spartans for a long time, and witnessed the very subtle changes in John's demeanour when it came to matters of Cortana. Or it could be because she was a woman, and saw the changes in the AI's own avatar or heard them in her voice when it came to addressing the Chief. Or it could even be because of the marked similarities between the two daughters of Catherine Halsey that allowed her to notice the behavioural quirks. Who knew exactly? The point was that even in the earliest days of their relationship, Miranda Keyes saw the true underlying essence of what went on between John and Cortana.

It also came as no surprise whatsoever when Miranda picked up on the change in Cortana after her relationship with John had progressed to the physical stage. Simply put, neither woman could afford to lie to the other and pull it off successfully.

"You're right," Cortana said finally. "But that doesn't mean I can't ask for help, right?"

"Of course not," Miranda replied as the former AI took another sip of her coffee. "So the question remains: how can I ensure that you and John will continue doing the mattress mambo?"

This comment was obviously a ploy to stir the other woman up, and it worked like a charm. Cortana's eyes bulged in shock at her sister's blatant comment, and she began to choke on her coffee. It took a few seconds to stop herself from spluttering, and Miranda simply sat back with a victorious smile on her face.

"_Miranda!"_

"Sorry, but I couldn't resist. Your reaction was just priceless!" Cortana seemed stunned into silence, so she continued. "Besides, I can always tell when the two of you have done it the night before."

"What?! How?!"

"Because you have this certain glow about you. Also you smile more. And you have a little bit of a spring in your step."

"I hate you."

"So, judging from all of that, I'd say that the last time was…"

"Shut up or I'll throw the rest of my coffee in your face!"

Miranda simply could not hold her laughter in anymore, and she let loose a stream of chuckles. Cortana simply ducked her head in embarrassment, hoping that none of the people at the other nearby tables were paying too much attention. To be sure, she cast secret glances out of the corner of her eyes; most were too involved in their own discussions, and those that did notice probably assumed that Miranda was laughing at a joke or funny story, most likely at Cortana's expense.

Shifting her gaze back up, she saw that the other woman had stopped laughing, but still had a victorious smile on her face. Despite her embarrassment, Cortana smiled as well. This teasing was simply part of their relationship and the sisterly bond that had formed between the two of them. There were plenty of times when the roles had been reversed, anyway.

Miranda took a deep breath to centre herself. "Okay, okay, enough jibes. It's time to get down to business."

"About time," Cortana remarked.

Ignoring her sister's remark, Miranda went on. "Now, I must confess that I am by no means an expert on the topic of romance, but I do have a few ideas as to how we can make things a lot smoother."

"Can you tell me?"

Draining the remainder of her coffee, Miranda placed the cup back on the table and stood up. "I will, but we also need to acquire a few essential items."

Following the other woman's lead, Cortana finished her own coffee and stood up herself, allowing Miranda to lead her away from the café and down the street. "I assume that means that we are going to be doing some shopping."

"Correct," Miranda said with a smile as she looped her arm through Cortana's. "And then you and John can get busy making me some nieces and nephews to spoil."

"_Miranda!"_

* * *

John hopped out of the transport that he had hitched a ride home on. He grabbed his bag and thanked the driver before turning around and heading straight for the door. It had been almost a couple of weeks since he had been called out to deal with those damned insurrectionists and their opportunistic Kig-Yar suppliers. Heaving a sigh, he started to wonder if maybe Cortana had been correct when she said that he had no reason to drop everything and fight once more every time his superiors barked the orders.

Cortana; she was what had occupied his mind for most of the time that he had been gone. That was usually the case anyway, but the circumstances under which they had departed had haunted him ever since. Most people would not have considered their disagreement to be a fight, but given the exact nature of their relationship, it might as well have been one anyway.

Inserting his key into the lock and turning it, John made a mental promise that he would try to find some way to make it up to his lover, no matter what. With that he opened up the door.

The lack of lighting was the first thing that John noticed as he entered the room and closed the front door behind him, locking it as he did so. It was far from pitch black, of course, but nowhere near as bright as it usually was. It was almost as if it had been made that way on purpose in order to achieve a certain… ambiance.

The second thing that John noticed was the aroma that seemed to be drifting throughout the room. Scented, aromatic… he figured that it was jasmine with a little bit of lavender. Did Cortana light some candles?

And the third thing was yet another smell; one that cut through the scent of the candles. The smell of something cooking, and whatever it was, it started to make his mouth water.

_(AN: I couldn't figure out what the food would be, so use your imagination to fill in the blanks, okay?)_

"Ah, you're home. Good."

Turning at the sound of her voice, John saw Cortana standing there with a smile on her face. She was actually wearing clothing that would be considered 'smart casual'; a buttoned blue blouse and knee length black skirt with black stockings and heels that were at least three inches. It was a new look for her, and John could not help but think that she looked _very_ good in it; especially since it helped to accent her hourglass figure.

"Cortana," he began softly, reaching out to take her in his arms. "It's so good to see you again. Although, I cannot help but notice a few things you've done a little bit differently."

"Really?" the former AI asked coyly.

"Really. For starters, something smells good."

"Mm-hm. That would be the dinner. I thought I'd make something nice for the hero's return," she practically purred with this comment.

John responded by pulling her in even further. "And the scented candles and mood lighting? I assume those would be part of your little 'welcome home' celebration?"

"You assume correctly, my dear."

"Well, I have to admit that, even though I appreciate it – _very much_, I might add – I am still a little surprised by the fact that you went to such measures."

Cortana pushed herself away from him a little bit and looked straight into his eyes. "Well John, when we last saw each other, we didn't exactly part on the best of terms. I guess I just want to make up for that in some way."

John raised his eyebrow. "Because we had a little disagreement? Cortana, every couple goes through that sort of thing, and when compared with them, ours would probably be considered minor. Listen, I know you were just expressing your concern over me going off and fighting for perhaps the thousandth time, and I can completely understand that. I get concerned about you too, you know?"

"Really?" Cortana asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Really," John said solemnly. "When you were being held captive by Gravemind on High Charity, there was hardly a moment when I was not worried about you, or what that freak could be doing to you. And now that you're a human, I worry that some accident could befall you, or that someone with a grudge against me would come after you just to get to me. You're not a chip in my helmet anymore, Cortana, so I can't easily protect you. I worry about that all the time."

John's heartfelt admission shook Cortana to her core. Very rarely did the stoic soldier allow his vulnerable core to show, but knowing that he held her and her wellbeing there was both heart-warming and gut-wrenching.

It was at times like that that she realised how much she truly loved him.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Cortana leaned up and placed a kiss on John's lips. "Well," she said with a smile, "looks like we'll just have to protect each other to the best of our abilities then, won't we?"

"That we shall," John agreed before returning the kiss with even more passion. After a few seconds, they broke apart. "Now, I'm hungry. Is dinner almost ready?"

"Of course it is," Cortana replied as she led him into the dining room. "I timed it right to be done just as you came home."

"Naturally," John rolled his eyes as he said this. "You always were punctual and able to time everything properly."

"Just sit down and eat, my love."

* * *

Though culinary skills were not originally part of Cortana's wealth of talents, her amazing intelligence and rapid adaptability meant that it was understandable she could pick up new skills fairly quickly, so John was not too surprised at how managed to pull of something like this. It was one of those behavioural traits about her that he loved so much. And the meal was absolutely delicious. After nearly a fortnight of living on military rations and MREs, even a sub-par meal would have seemed gourmet to him. But this was in another league entirely!

"You said that you were hungry, but I didn't know how much," Cortana laughed as she observed John digging into his meal with much fervour.

"I guess that my line of work can do that to you," John said, pausing from his eating to take a controlled sip of his wine.

"Touché, my dear," Cortana said, raising her own wine glass in a mock toast.

The couple proceeded to polish off both of their plates, and then took some time to finish off their respective glasses of wine. "I must admit," John said, "that was probably one of the best meals I have ever had. I had no idea that you knew how to cook something like that."

Cortana tilted her head back and drained the rest of the liquid in her glass. "That you very much," she said, then stood up and began collecting the empty plates and used utensils and transfer them to the sink. "It's a new skill, actually. I must admit that I was still a bit bothered about how we parted ways last time, and decided to pick up some new skills to help smooth things over."

"Really?" John asked with genuine mild surprise, as well as a little amusement. "You decided to learn how to cook a gourmet meal in order to ease any potential tension that we might be having?"

Cortana shot back a mischievous smile. "They do say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

The Spartan simply rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile. Cortana's outlook on life definitely seemed to be a combination of simplicity, analysis, stubbornness and optimism; she would simply look at a problem, find the most effective solution, work hard at making it happen, and never let anything get her down. It was at times like this that he realised how much he truly cared about her.

Leaning back, John finished off his own wine, set the glass on the table, and regarded his girlfriend with a look that was both daring and playful. "So," he said lightly, "I don't suppose there is anything else that you splashed out on in order to, uh, 'smooth things over'?"

Hearing the playful challenge, Cortana smiled and walked over to her lover. She gently grabbed his hand and pulled him out of his chair. "Perhaps," she giggled. "But first, there is something that I want to talk about."

She guided him to the living room and made him sit down on the lounge before taking a seat next to him. Almost immediately, John's arm went around her, and she reached out to grasp his other hand in between both of hers.

The former AI fixed her gaze on the Spartan's; her piercing electric blue irises practically captivating him. Those beautiful eyes were enough to make any human stop in their tracks, whatever they were doing. On more than one occasion, they had even work with other races; even Sangheili. In many of those instances, the target of the glare was forced to step backwards, lest they find themselves the subject of something less than favourable. Never with John though; no, whenever Cortana looked at him with those eyes, it was with warmth and comfort, even if the situation itself was a negative one.

She did not beat about the bush either, instead diving straight into the subject at hand. "I feel like I owe you an apology, John." He started to open his mouth, but she cut him off. "No, let me finish. It was wrong for me to question your role in life. In fact, given the very nature and history of our relationship, then logically, there should be no reason whatsoever for me to pop off at you like that. You're a Spartan, and I used to be your AI partner, so I should know you better than anybody else. Admittedly, whenever I was in your helmet, I could never actually read your mind, but still…"

John chuffed a laugh. They both knew that she was rambling a bit, but he simply stayed quiet and let her continue.

"I guess the fact that I am not actually with you anymore means that I no longer know where you are or what is happening to you. And I'm somebody who has almost always known what was going on, especially in regards to you, so I probably see myself at a bit of a disadvantage now. And maybe the other day was simply the time when the stress of not knowing just got too much for me." She paused in order to take a breath and steady her nerves, which had begun to quiver. "But you are someone who keeps his promise. And you have always promised to come back to be, never once breaking that. But I still feel like I need to say that I am sorry for acting up, so… I'm sorry."

A soft smile touched John's lips, and he took Cortana's face in his calloused hands, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. "I still feel as though there is no need for you to apologise, but if it means that much to you, then I accept your apology."

Cortana heaved a sigh of relief and gave a bright smile. "Well, I'm glad that's out of the way. Now, I can give you the other part of your 'welcome home' gift."

Deciding to play along, John leaned back. "I don't suppose it has anything to do with the new clothes you are wearing?" he hinted at suggestively.

Feigning innocence, Cortana stood up, and positioned herself in front of him as he sat back on the lounge. "Sort of," she said with a trace of playful humour in her tone. "Do you like what you see?" She did a slow turn, showing off her new clothing. John ran an appreciative eye over the apparel of a form-fitted blue blouse, the smooth black skirt that clung to her waist and calf muscles, the black stockings that encased her smooth legs, and the three-inch black high heels. Cortana had the sort of body that most women would be envious of, and she usually looked good no matter what she wore. But this new getup definitely did wonders at complimenting her beauty, not to mention accentuating her figure, so John could find no reason not to like it.

"I must admit," he said, "it really does suit you. Very, very much, as a matter of fact." Cortana giggled at his tone, which was starting to become a bit lecherous.

"Really?" she teased. "Well, then I'm sure you'll like this." With that, she turned to face him head on, and slowly began to undo the buttons on her blouse, one at a time.

John did not say anything, but merely placed his hands behind his head in an exaggerated relaxed pose and continued smiling. "Oh, yeah," he breathed. "I'm _definitely_ liking this."

Cortana giggled and continued with what she was doing. After undoing the last button, she pulled the blue fabric away from her flesh, revealing another seductive garment; a black lace bra, which cupped her already generous mounds in a way that almost seemed to make her seem more ample. Flicking a quick glance at John's crotch, she saw the faint stirring of movement beneath the fabric of his pants and knew that she was having the desired outcome.

Not wanting to waste any time with talk, she silently stepped forward, allowing John to reach out and place his hands on her waist and draw her in closer. Kneeling on the lounge and straddling his waist, Cortana leaned back and gave a breathy moan as she felt his mouth descend upon the tender flesh of her neck and move downwards to her breasts. The Spartan's tongue traced lines around the edge of the fabric, teasing the delicate flesh there. At the same time, she felt his hands stroke the sensitive skin along her waist and move up to the underside of her breasts. Those calloused hands were famous for handling deadly weapons and striking the life out of an enemy combatant, yet they just as easily stimulated the senses of Cortana's body in a way that made her head spin.

Focused mostly on the kisses that John was lavishing upon her upper body, Cortana was only vaguely aware of the fact that he was pushing back the blue fabric of the blouse, pushing it off her shoulders and down her arms, fully divesting her of the garment. Not caring in the least about this, she decided to respond in kind, reaching down to grab the bottom hem of his olive t-shirt and pull it upwards.

As Cortana removed John's shirt, she took the moment to also push herself off the lounge so that she was once again standing on the floor in front of it, her black heels giving her a bit more height than usual. Deciding that she wanted to tease her man a little, she turned around so that her back was presented to him, and hooked her thumbs on the top of her skirt. Slowly and seductively, she began pushing the garment down her lower body, bending over as she did so and presenting him with an oh-so-tantalising view of her rounded posterior, not to mention the black lace panties that she had been wearing underneath.

The skirt dropped to the floor, and Cortana stepped out of it, turning back to her man, and placing her hands on her hips in a model's pose that she knew would serve to turn him on even more. It had the desired effect. Seeing his beautiful and curvaceous lover standing before him an a matching set of black lace underwear, the transparent black stockings that encased her long legs up to her calves, and the high heels, John felt his breath catch in his throat. To him, she was always unbelievably stunning, but seeing her like this seemed like another thing entirely, and he felt his heart rate begin to increase.

Cortana gave a seductive flip of her hair. "I take it from the look on your face that you like what you see?" she said in a tone that was equally seductive.

"Absolutely," John replied huskily. He roved his eyes up and down her form, taking in every breathtaking detail of her. He wanted to sit back and just enjoy the view a little while longer, but the demands of his body were arguing otherwise.

As a Spartan, John was well known for possessing a great deal of self-control, but when it came to the amazing love life that he and Cortana had, that tended to fall by the wayside, and this particular situation was no exception. He wanted to hold off on making the next move and just admire the tantalising sight of his woman standing there wearing decidedly sexy garments for as long as he could, but his self-control could only go so far. Finally, he could wait no longer, and set about removing his pants.

Cortana knew full well what John would be wanting, and she was more than willing to grant his wishes, so she got down into a kneeling position and situated herself between his knees. As the Spartan pulled the fabric of his pants away from his crotch, his manhood sprung into view. Licking her lips, both in preparation and anticipation, Cortana reached out and wrapped a slender hand around the hardened nine inches of flesh, giving it a few gentle strokes. After a few seconds, she leaned over and took the organ in her mouth and proceeded to give him a blowjob.

The Spartan leaned his head back and let out a groan as he felt the former AI please him with her mouth, working the blood-filled shaft with her lips and swirling her tongue around the tip. With the occasional hum and soft moan, she sent vibrations through his manhood, which proceeded to give him jolts of ecstasy that coursed through his body like sudden shocks of electricity.

John reached forward gently and placed his hands on either side of Cortana's head, running his fingers through her soft hair and urging her on with her oral ministrations. Any thoughts in regards to the disagreement they had before his departure was virtually non-existent at this point. In all likelihood, the pair would have probably made love upon the Spartan's return, but during his life, John had listened to people – soldiers, officers, civilians and whatnot – who had been in relationships. Many had professed that having make-up sex after a fight was one of the best that could be had.

Right now, John was more than a little bit inclined to agree.

Running his hands gently down the sides of Cortana's head and neck, John moved them down her back to the lace fabric of her bra. Working nimbly, he undid the hook in just a few seconds and slowly began to pull it off. Aware of what John was doing, Cortana continued with her actions as she allowed the bra to be pulled forward and off her shoulders. Now topless, she continued with the blowjob for a few more seconds before stopping and moving to stand up.

Returning to a standing position, Cortana pushed her hair back with her hands; a movement that allowed John to behold her naked breasts in all of their curvaceous glory. Looking down on him – something where she was given a boost by the high heels she was still wearing – she gave him a smouldering look with her electric blue eyes. It was a look that clearly said 'I want you so badly, and right now!'. The Spartan was obviously reciprocating this feeling, and he eagerly shed his pants. Now, he sat on the lounge without a shred of clothing on his muscular form, and a look on his face that let his girlfriend know that he was more than ready to continue.

Reaching down, Cortana hooked her thumbs in the bands of her lace panties and pulled them down her long legs. They dropped to the floor, leaving her wearing nothing but the black high heels and the transparent black stockings that went up to her calves; a truly sexy sight on a woman as beautiful and curvaceous as her.

Without saying a word, Cortana stepped forward again and positioned herself on the lounge, straddling John in a kneeling position. She shifted forward until her now-moist womanhood was positioned directly over his hardened organ. John helped her get into a perfect position, and poised the tip of his manhood at her opening before assisting her in gently easing down onto the shaft. Cortana breathed out a soft moan of pleasure as she felt her man's hardness fill her, and then slowly began to move her body up and down his length.

As she started to bounce up and down in John's lap, Cortana gave a small mental thank you to Miranda for her assistance. On their day out together, she had been the one to suggest that Cortana buy some new clothing and the sexy underwear, and had gone with her to the shops. She had also put forward the idea of making the gourmet meal to start things off, and even encouraged all the other things, such as the mood lighting and scented candles. Despite the teasing, the former AI had listened to her sister and followed her suggestions. And clearly they were paying off right now.

Any further thoughts of Miranda – or anyone or anything else for that matter – were pushed out of Cortana's brain as she continued to move up and down the length of John's hardened manhood, gradually increasing the tempo all the while. As their pace quickened, so too did Cortana's gasps of pleasure, and she leaned her head back as she felt waves of euphoria begin to wash over her.

With her head thrown back, John was treated to the unbelievably erotic sight of her long, slender neck and the gentle bouncing of her firm and ample bosom. His hands were originally on her waist in order to assist in her movements, but he moved them upwards, running them gently across her flesh as he did so. He gently cupped her D-sized mounds, squeezing them and gently pinching her delicate pink nipples. This new, and yet all too familiar, sensation was enough to make Cortana let out a groan of pure ecstasy.

Liking the sound that his girlfriend just let out, the Spartan decided to go even further. He leaned forward and began to kiss, lick and suck on her breasts; starting on the flesh around the nipple before moving to the pink bud itself. He started on her right breast first and then moved to the left. The whole time that he did this, Cortana moaned softly, and eventually stopped her bouncing to hold his head in her hands, attempting to draw him in closer. Instinctively, she continued to grind her hips against his, sending ripples of pleasure throughout their bodies.

For about a minute, the couple simply continued like this, and as Cortana persisted in her grinding movements, she started to feel the sensation building up inside her that told of her impending orgasm. Given John's Spartan physiology, he probably still had a way to go before he reached his own climax, but Cortana would willingly ride him as long as she needed to in order to bring this encounter to its end.

But it seemed that the Spartan had other plans. As the pleasure was starting to build up inside Cortana, John made a sudden movement; pushing her off of his manhood. Before Cortana could vocalise any kind of protest, he had swiftly moved her around so that she was placed on the lounge next to him, and then gently eased her upper body down so that she ended up lying flat. John flashed a quick grin at her as he shifted himself around so that his head was in between her legs. "Hope you don't mind me changing things around on you," he said.

Despite her initial surprise, Cortana could not help but smile. "Not at all," she replied with a giggle. "Sometimes I like it when you turn the tables on me."

"Like that night when we were using the cuffs?"

"Something like that."

John just chuckled and then lowered his face down to her womanhood. Flicking his tongue out, he began to tease the sensitive flesh, causing Cortana to let out a few involuntary bucks of her body. Almost immediately, she felt the growing sensation inside her that foretold her climax.

Instinctively, Cortana began to grasp and squeeze her own breasts, letting out moans as she felt the dual sensations of both this and John's actions with his tongue on her clit. It was only a matter of seconds before she felt herself being pushed closer and closer to the edge of her pleasure, and then over it. Giving another involuntary buck upwards with her hips, she gasped loudly as her orgasm rippled through her.

John ceased his movements while he allowed his lover to experience the scintillating throes of her orgasm as well as the aftereffects. After a few seconds, her breathing began to slow and become steadier, and the Spartan know that it was time for this passionate lovemaking session to enter its next phase. Repositioning himself in between her stocking-wrapped legs, John leaned over her as he aimed his still-hard organ at her womanhood again. Rubbing his tip against the opening a few times, he moved his hips forward, easing himself inside her again.

Still on a high after her climax, Cortana could not prevent the sudden gasp of pleasure that she felt as she felt John enter her once more. Looking up at her man with passion-glazed electric blue eyes, she instinctively wrapped her stockinged legs around his hips, and urged him in further. The Spartan was only too eager to comply with her wishes, and he increased his movements, going harder and deeper with every thrust.

Moaning in pleasure, Cortana felt her toes begin to curl instinctively inside the high heels that she was still wearing. With each jolt of pleasure that coursed through her body, she felt herself wriggle in delight under her man. She continued to urge him in deeper; tightening her grips around his waist with her legs, and using her hands to pull forward on his shoulders.

Through the haze of euphoria that had started to settle upon his mental state, John became vaguely aware of the fact that Cortana's fingers were gripping his shoulders and back so strongly that she felt her nails digging into his flesh. Considering the fact that he had been shot, stabbed, caught in explosions, and subjected to various other forms of physical pain in the past, this current occurrence was minor, but it still made his head spin a little. Though, judging from the glazed and positively euphoric look on Cortana's face, she was probably not even aware that she was doing it. Of course, he did not care in the least, anyway. Instead, he continued thrusting in and out of her, grunting softly as he did so.

The couple kept their pace for one minute. Then two. Then three. John maintained his thrusting in and out of Cortana's warm and moist womanhood, feeling the soft walls constrict around his shaft. Before long, he felt the sensation emanating from deep within his own body, letting him know that it was time to bring this whole event to its conclusion. And from the way that Cortana's breathy moans were increasing in both frequency and volume, she seemed to be reaching her own peak as well.

John slowed his pace slightly and looked down at the former AI. Though she was in a state of pure bliss at this point, she still retained enough conscious thought to look up at him with her piercing blue eyes and answer his unspoken question. She gave him a small nod, and this spurred him on; thrusting in harder and faster each time, and her urging him in deeper by tightening her grip on him.

Seemingly as one, John and Cortana began to gasp and moan louder and faster; the couple reaching their point of release almost at the same time. No words needed to be exchanged between the two of them; their bodies did all the communication that was necessary, and they were in perfect sync, right up to the peak, and they went over it as one.

Cortana leaned her head back into the cushions of the lounge as she had her orgasm, giving a groan that sounded more like a strangled scream, albeit one of pure ecstasy and bliss. At the same time, John thrust inside her as deeply as he could, grunting his own climax, and she felt his warm fluids gushing deep inside her womanhood. It had been a while since he had come inside her and the sheer feeling of it made her head spin. John's body twitched a couple of times as he let loose another few spurts inside her, before he was finally spent.

He let his body down, making sure not to squash her as he did so. Instinctively, she rolled to the side so that he came to a rest next to her, and they wrapped their arms around each other. They just stayed like that, in each other's arms, and his spent manhood still inside her. They remained in this position for an hour, and then another. Neither wanted to break their intimate embrace; not to mention the fact that their session had left them both feeling physically drained.

Eventually, it was John who broke the silence. "You know something, Cortana?"

Looking deeply into the eyes of her lover, the former AI responded. "What, John?"

The Spartan continued. "I had heard a saying somewhere, I don't know where exactly, but it said that after a fight, having make-up sex was the best kind you could have."

Cortana could not help herself. "You heard that too?" she said with a giggle, and the couple laughed together, their past problems forgotten.

* * *

**Okay, this chapter actually proved to be a serious challenge for me! I don't know why, but I kept stumbling. So I hope it suits your tastes.**

**For the record, I've always seen that since Cortana and Miranda are both daughters of Dr Catherine Halsey, then technically they would be sisters, wouldn't they? I for one think that the two of them would have a pretty close relationship, and so I decided to insert it into this story. But if any of you are thinking about requesting that I make a threesome, I'll tell you right now, it ain't happening, so don't bother asking. The love in this fic is exclusively John/Cortana, end of story.**

**By the way, I think this chapter might actually be longer than the original 'On the Beach' chapter! Hmm, I think I've outdone myself.**

**I wanted to finish this off earlier, but my family and I experienced a tragedy this past week. Our dog passed away on the 7****th**** of August. She was 14 years old (which is practically ancient in dog years) but she lived an incredible life. Still, we'll miss her greatly.**

**Anyway, I am back in the game people! I will attempt to crank out another chapter in the next few weeks or so.**


	11. At the Gym

**Hey folks! By my count, it's only about six weeks until **_**Halo 4**_** is out! It's the second in a set of three games that I am waiting for, all of which are due to be released around the same time, and only one of which is paid off! The first is **_**Assassin's Creed III**_**, and the third is **_**Call of Duty: Black Ops II**_**. (Hey, they all have numbers in their titles.)**

**Anyway, things have been a bit hectic lately. I've just moved into a new place, and I've only now managed to get the internet connection, but without further ado, here is the latest and sexiest chapter of **_**On the Beach**_**.**

* * *

**At the Gym**

The chains holding the punching bag rattled as the lone occupant of the gym lay one blow after another into the well-worn bag. Though shorter and somewhat smaller than most other individuals who came in here to train, the woman nonetheless had an air about her that clearly said 'mess with me as your own peril, buddy!' This was usually enough to make any men thinking about hitting on her to stay away, lest she decided to do any actual hitting on their physical being.

And even if that did not work, it was common knowledge that this woman's boyfriend was one of the deadliest soldiers that the human race had ever produced, and was literally more than capable of killing them with just one really solid blow. Sometimes being associated with a well-known war hero really had its benefits. Cortana had learned this a long time ago, but still, being recognised for your own personal talents was nice, which was one of the reasons as to why she trained as hard as she could when she went to the gym.

Laying into the bag with a few lightning-fast punches and jabs before finishing her movements off with a perfectly executed roundhouse kick, Cortana stood back from the swinging target and took a few moments to catch her breath. When her consciousness had been transferred into her new human form, she had decided to ditch many of the files in her mind, feeling that she did not need them, but also kept a few, which would now take the form of memories and such, just like those belonging to any other sentient being. She also had a few added, figuring that they would prove handy in her new life, and one of them was a combination of various forms of self-defence; martial arts, military hand-to-hand, as well as a few weapon-based forms. Her reasoning was that she needed to be able to protect herself, but also that it was a way for keeping herself in shape.

When John had seen her perform these skills for the first time, he had been impressed, both at the seamless transition that these talents made from mere program files into actual 'learned' memories for Cortana, and at the ease in which she had physically performed them.

Of course, he did make a smartass comment about how she had not learned them naturally, but had instead essentially 'cheated' by downloading them directly. Cortana simply rolled her eyes at this and tried to ignore his quips.

As usual, thinking of John made her smile. Their relationship had hit a bit of a rough patch recently, but they managed to get through without any serious problems. The two had a disagreement with each other, and John had embarked on a mission before they could smooth over anything. In her time alone, Cortana had sought council with her sister, Miranda Keyes. Miranda had treated her to some 'girl talk' and given a few ideas as to how she and John could make things up.

It had worked like a charm. Upon arriving home, John had found his girlfriend had cooked up a lovely meal and worn some new clothes that really accentuated her feminine physique, complete with sexy underwear. After the meal, the two had moved to the couch, where they proceeded to make love, discovering that make-up sex definitely ranked high on the list of the best kinds of intimacy.

Naturally, Miranda could tell that the couple had worked out their problems, due to the obvious change in Cortana's demeanour. She had teased her sister about this, only to have her questions answered with silence and an enigmatic smile. But that was all the answer that Miranda needed; very few people understood the former AI as well as she did.

"You look like you need someone to steady your bag."

Cortana spun around at the comment voiced by the very familiar deep baritone. John was just entering the gym, all seven feet and mass of muscle of him. But despite his size and other physical characteristics that hinted at being a walking leviathan even without his armour, he was more than capable of being silent when the situation called for it. Apparently, sneaking up on his girlfriend when she was having a private workout in the gym was one of those instances.

"That depends," Cortana replied coyly, "are you offering?"

John made a little show of looking around the gym to see if anyone else was there to do the job that he offered before turning back to her. "Yeah, I suppose I might be," he said in an equally coy tone, before walking over and grabbing the still-swinging bag.

The former AI smiled at the Spartan. Their relationship had always been one of playful bantering, but in recent times, it seemed as though John had been doing it more and more often. She figured it had something to do with their love life. Before, he had still possessed a somewhat playful edge, but this often had to be put aside in favour of the military precision and behaviour that had been drilled into him and his fellow Spartans since childhood. At times like that, Cortana actually felt sorry for the fact that these particular circumstances had determined his life for so long.

But ever since that day on the beach when he had happened to come across her sunbathing nude, which had the direct result of them being intimate for the first time, he had clearly opened up and become decidedly more inclined to act on his playful nature. This suited Cortana just fine, since she herself had developed a playful streak at least a kilometre wide after becoming human, and had virtually no problem with acting upon it, especially when it came to matters regarding their love life.

John held the bag while Cortana shifted back into a fighting stance; arms raised, right foot back from the left, and shoulders square on to target. He gave her a small nod, and she let loose with a series of flurries and blows against her target, all executed with near-perfect skill and precision. The punches and kicks were delivered with such fury that they would have disabled or incapacitated an average human aggressor, and even the person holding the back might have had trouble keeping it in position. Fortunately, John was a Spartan, and they were capable of suffering from attacks that were much more devastating than these. Hell, John had been struck in the chest by a Hunter's Fuel Rod cannon on more than one occasion, so the assault he was being dealt with was relatively minor.

As Cortana finished her movements and paused to catch her breath, the Spartan leaned his head around from the edge of the bag. "Not bad at all," he complimented. "Of course, I still maintain that you took the easy way by downloading these files when you were still an AI." He gave a grin, knowing that this would most likely provoke a reaction from the former AI.

She did not disappoint. "Really?" she asked, still breathing very heavily. Without waiting for a reply, she spun around and let loose a sudden backwards kick, her heel digging square into the middle of the bag. Even with his combat-honed skills, John was caught a little off-guard by the sudden attack and the strength behind it, and he felt himself being pushed back a little.

Cortana took a few steps back and turned around to face him again. She placed her hands on her hips and continued to breathe heavily, though this was starting to even out a little. "Well, maybe I did that because I wanted to make sure that you didn't need to worry about me from the get-go."

John stepped out from behind the back and smiled. "Is that so?" he asked.

Cortana paused again. "Maybe. I'm a little too winded to think of a better excuse at the moment." John laughed as she walked over to her bag which rested on the bench. She first picked up her towel, patting away the layer of sweat that had accumulated on her head and shoulders, then put this down and grabbed her water bottle, downing nearly half of its contents to quench her thirst.

As Cortana took a few moments to recuperate, John slowly made his way out to the middle of the sparring mats. "You know what?" he said, his voice taking on the slightest hint of a challenging tone. "It seems that while working over the bag is easy enough, you could probably do with a live opponent. I think that would be a more interesting test, don't you think?"

After taking a few seconds to place her towel and drinking bottle back in her bag, Cortana looked over at him. To most people, taking on a Spartan, even in the controlled nature of a simple sparring match, was decidedly tempting fate or even risking life itself. Perhaps the only ones who could come off mostly intact would be another Spartan.

ODSTs were nearly as tough as Spartans, and could probably pull that off as well, but Cortana was well aware of the incident that occurred when John was in his teens and he was forced to fight in the ring against four of them at once. He had copped a few bumps and bruises, but he fared better than his ODST opponents; they all ended up _dead_. And she was not as tough as those bastards were.

But Cortana was also fully aware that John would never willingly hurt her. He would pull his attacks to ensure that he probably never even hit her. His level of devotion to her was so strong that he would willingly allow _himself_ to get hurt, even seriously, if it meant that she would remain unscathed. He cared about her that much.

Still, if he was offering to help in her training, she saw no reason to turn down his offer. Hell, she might even get lucky and land a few blows.

"Alright, John," she said as she stepped on to the mats. "Let's dance." With that, she assumed a fighting stance once more.

John also assumed a fighting stance, with the ease of one who had been doing such things for so long that they had become second nature to him. Though he wanted to provide a challenge for Cortana, he still did not want to hurt her, of course, and so he figured that he might as well let her take the first shot.

She did not disappoint. Cortana started out with a few jabs from her left fist before following up with more powerful strikes from her right, and continuing on with a series of combinations of the two. It was all a standard form of fighting; a way of testing the waters before committing fully to the bout. So John was not that surprised when Cortana gradually increased her pace, and soon introduced kicks to her retinue of moves. She had talent, for sure, and in a fight against any other opponent, she would have stood a good chance of coming out on top. But John was a Spartan, and his decades of combat expertise allowed him to block, parry and deflect the blows with little difficulty.

Pausing a moment in her assault, Cortana shifted back, still hopping and moving back and forth like any good fighter would. "You're holding back, John," she challenged.

John remained in his defensive posture, his hands still at the ready. "I thought I'd see what kind of attacks you were capable of, for a start."

"What?" Cortana said mockingly. "Are you afraid of hurting little old me?"

John laughed. "Maybe. I just figured that -"

His comment was cut off as Cortana let loose a sudden strike with her fist, catching him off-guard on the bridge of the nose. She had pulled her punch, so it was of reduced strength, but even had it been full power, the Spartan would have barely felt it. Still, the fact that she had suckered him in and scored a cheap shot was something of a surprise.

Cortana laughed. "Gotcha!"

John shook his head and allowed a feral grin to cross his face. "Oh, now you're gonna get it!" With that, he launched into a flurry of his own attacks, which the former AI actually managed to deflect on her own quite easily. Clearly the information that she kept in her mind when she made the transfer to human had come in handy.

For the next couple of minutes, the pair circled around each other. One would make an attack against their opponent, who in turn would usually block or deflect it with ease. Despite the obvious size advantage that John had over her, Cortana seemed not the slightest bit intimidated by her opponent. This was partially due to the relationship that they had, but it was not the sole reason. Even back as a sentient computer program, Cortana was aware that size was not the be all and end all in combat, as being smaller than one's opponent actually had its own set of advantages. It was merely a matter of noticing them and applying them in the appropriate situations.

After nearly three minutes of sparring, Cortana launched a kick aimed at John's midsection, only to have the Spartan grab the limb and use his strength to push sideways and outward on the knee, causing her to fall to the mats. The plan was to push her down and go down with her, trapping her under his body mass and forcing her to submit. But it seemed as though the joke was on him; Cortana had actually planned this movement and as he went down, she continued the momentum, making them roll until _she_ was on top! John suddenly found himself lying flat on his back, and Cortana quickly positioned herself so that she was straddling his chest, with her knees on either side of his head.

She looked down at him with a victorious smirk on her face. "Give up, John?"

He sighed. "I have to admit, you are good," he said. This only served to widen Cortana's smirk, and he sensed her letting her guard down ever so slightly.

This was all he needed, and he brought his arms up to grasp her on either side of the midsection. He pushed her easily off him, and shifted their positions so that she rolled backwards and he rolled with her. The end result was her lying flat with him positioned over her and using his hands to pin her arms firmly against the mat.

"But I'm still better," he said with his own smirk.

Cortana knew that the chances of her being able to reverse this particular situation were virtually none, so she decided to let herself relax and allow the residual adrenaline to drain from her system. "Of course you still are," she pointed out breathlessly. "You're a Spartan, remember?"

John regarded her with a smile. "Don't feel too bad, Cortana," he said, with the slightest hint of affection creeping into his tone; one that he frequently took with her. "You handled yourself very well. In fact, quite a few soldiers with more actual combat experience than you were still less of a challenge than you were."

"Really?" Cortana asked, raising her eyebrows. "I don't suppose you pulled your punches with them too?"

"Well, yes," he admitted, "but then, this was during the war with the Covenant, and we needed as many soldiers to fight as possible. I doubt that my superiors would have appreciated me killing any of our fellow troops." Here, Cortana gave a little snicker. "And I will also admit that I didn't pull my punches then as much as I did now, but that's because you matter to me much more than the entirety of the UNSC combined."

It was a simple comment, delivered in a casual off-hand way, but the very nature of the words was enough to make Cortana's heart flutter with love at the man. She felt his hands relinquish their hold on her arms, and she wrapped them gently around his neck, drawing him closer for a kiss.

When they pulled apart, John could not resist goading her a little more. "Of course, I still maintain that you technically cheated by just downloading those files instead of learning them like a regular human."

Cortana promptly whacked him on the side of the head. "Shut up!" she said in a mock anger that was offset by their matching smiles. Then they locked lips once more.

As the kiss deepened, John instinctively ran his hands along Cortana's sides, feeling the firm and yet feminine body under the layers of her training clothes. Even through the fabric, he still brushed against the sensitive areas of her flesh, causing her to whimper slightly as her desire was being stoked.

John's mind suddenly snapped back to the here and now, and he quickly pulled his lips back from Cortana's, who regarded him with a slightly confused look.

"Look, Cortana," he explained, "as much as I'd like to go further with you, and I think you know what I am talking about…" He delivered these last words in a very suggestive tone, and she nodded understandingly; she was starting to experience the same urges, after all. "I just don't think that this is the right time and place for it."

He did have a point. The two of them were still in a very compromising position, with him lying on top of her on the sparring mats. In fact, their little display of affection had caused her body to instinctively react and her legs were now wrapped around his waist. Still, this was the gym that was used by the soldiers and base personnel. Although the base itself was only lightly staffed at the moment, and nobody else had come in to use the gym at all today, it still did not change the fact that it was a public place, and as such, not exactly the kind of location to get intimate.

But the idea was already in Cortana's mind, and she was already feeling the sudden desire in her body. And despite his wish to keep it under control, she knew that the Spartan was feeling it too.

"Oh, I don't know about that, John," she practically sang liltingly, her finger beginning to trace imaginary images on his muscular chest and the shirt that covered it. "We can always lock the door, you know?"

John gave her a slight apologetic smile. "Sorry, but I think I'm going to have to pass up on that." With that, he got up off of her and made his way to the bench press.

Cortana watched him, her eyes beginning to narrow. Being raised in the military for all but the first six years of his life had obviously ensured that John was a bit of a stickler for rules and regulations. But ever since the two of them had begun an intimate relationship, he seemed to have become much more relaxed about these, figuring that it was okay to bend the rules every now and then, as long as they never actually got _broken_ and that nobody was hurt in the process. Clearly, engaging in intimate activities with his girlfriend was one of these. Hell, they had had sex in a Warthog, in a Pelican while it was in orbit, on Dr Halsey's desk, on Lord Hood's desk, and various other places where they would have probably gotten into a bit of trouble should they have gotten caught. The gym on a military base probably ranked among these locations as well, so why the problem?

Still, Cortana knew John better than anyone else, even his fellow Spartans. It would probably take very little to convince him otherwise…

Getting up, Cortana went to the door of the gym, locking it and putting in place certain security measures that it would not be opened up again without her explicit authorisation; another talent that she had opted to keep in place when she became human, although for very different reasons than what she was doing now. After that, she strode over to John.

The Spartan was now lying on the bench press, and was lifting an amount of weight that most people would struggle with. But for him, he might as well have been lifting just the bar without any weights attached. Cortana waited for him to place the bar back in its slot, and as he started to sit up, she made her own move. She quickly threw her leg over his midsection and settled down so that she was straddling him, and gently pushed on his chest, urging him to lie back down. John regarded her with a confused look.

Cortana smiled gently at the man she loved with her entire being, and leaned forward a couple of inches. "You know something John, I think we can find another use for this gym equipment," she said coyly. The Spartan opened his mouth, as if to offer some kind of protest, but she cut him off by placing a finger on his lips. "Don't worry about the door, okay? I've locked in a way that it would take someone highly skilled to open it up again."

She could see the internal conflict happening behind John's deep eyes, but this quickly abated, and he leaned his head back against the bench with a small smile on his face. "You know, I find it absolutely amazing that you can talk me into something with minimal effort," he said.

Cortana laughed. "Oh, don't tell me that you don't love it," she chided him while leaning down for another kiss.

John leaned up to meet her lips. "You're right," he admitted before their lips connected, "I _do_ love it, very much."

As they kiss, the two of them both felt electric thrills of excitement, which deepened as their tongues began to mingle and swirl around each other. John instinctively wrapped his arms around Cortana and drew her closer, and at the same time, she placed her hands on either side of his head. The couple pulled apart as the need for oxygen began two much, and they spent a few seconds gasping for air and gazing deeply into each other's eyes, after which the desire became too much once more and they locked lips again.

John's shirt was the first garment to be discarded, and this was dropped on the floor. As he did this, Cortana leaned back so that she was straddling him at a ninety degree angle. Grabbing the edge of her own shirt, she pulled upwards, yanking the fabric off in one smooth movement. Her upper body was now clad only in a grey sports bra, which did little to obscure her amazing bust.

Now thoroughly aroused, John could not help himself, and clearly was in no mood for waiting. He leaned upwards and slid his hands under the fabric of Cortana's sports bra, and in one simply movement, he easily slipped it off and over her head, freeing her wonderful mounds.

Instantly, John's hands went to her breasts, kneading and gently massaging the flesh. Bringing his head forward, he started to kiss and suck the delicate flesh, running the tip of his tongue over areas that it thoroughly explored already. Moaning softly, Cortana leaned her head back and allowed the Spartan a few moments to stimulate her in this manner. She let out a small squeal of pleasure as she felt him take the left nipple in his mouth while pinching the right one with his thumb and finger. He continued like this for about twenty seconds and then reversed the process, using his mouth on the right nipple and his hand on the left.

As John subjected her quivering body to this agonisingly wondrous torture, Cortana's breath became more ragged, and the pace grew much quicker, with her breathing in and out coming at a much faster rate. Pure ecstasy clouded her mind and her desire became more peaked. Normally they liked to engage in a bit of foreplay first, but right now, the feelings inside Cortana were in a way that she simply did not want to wait any longer; she wanted him inside her _now!_

Acting more on instinct than anything else, Cortana pushed John back down on the bench and stood up, swinging her leg back him so that she was no longer straddling him, but rather standing beside him. She pushed her workout pants, along with her panties, down to her ankles. It was at this point that she still had her sneakers on, so she took a few seconds to undo the laces and remove them before divesting herself completely of the lower half of her clothing. Now, she was totally naked, and every inch of her body was crying out for pleasure.

Bringing herself back into a standing position, Cortana saw that John was also removing his pants; he was just pulling them off from around his ankles at the moment. Now also without a stitch on him, the Spartan lay back on the bench, his muscular form seemingly displayed for all to see like the statue of some ancient god. Of course, the part of his anatomy that particularly drew Cortana's attention was his manhood; all nine inches of it now hardened so much that it was practically lying flat against his abdomen. Looking at this, the former AI felt a sudden shiver of anticipation.

Not wanting to waste another minute, Cortana practically threw her leg back over the Spartan's waist so that she was straddling him once more. With her hand, she ensured that the tip of his hardened shaft was poised right at the opening of her waiting womanhood, and slowly eased her body downward, taking his length into her warmth. She let out a long moan that continued even after she had brought him in all the way to the hilt. She remained in this position for a few seconds, then started the familiar pace of moving up and down on his manhood.

As Cortana began to set the pace of their lovemaking, John shifted ever so slightly so that the two of them would be in a more comfortable position, and he gently brought his knees up. This action had the result of moving Cortana's body forward slightly so that she was eventually leaning over him at more of a forty-five degree angle. Looking up, he saw her face framed by her hair and flushed in pleasure. Even while continuing to grind her hips against his, she flicked her head to get her hair back out of her face.

The two of them had experimented with pretty much every sexual position known, and Cortana had to admit that she was partial to ones like this, where she was above him in the more dominant position. However, this particular one had one flaw that she seemed to have overlooked: there was no position to place her hands so as to give her the appropriate amount of leverage. Usually, she just placed them on either side of John's head on the floor or the bed or whatever, but this bench offered little possibilities.

But then the answer struck her. She ceased her movements, which caused John to look at her in mild confusion. Cortana simply smiled back in response, and without saying any words she gently urged him to move just a few inches upwards on the bench, in the direction where his head was pointing. Never once did they break their intimate contact.

John was still unsure as to where his lover was heading with this, but then he saw her reasoning when she reached up and placed her hands firmly on the bar above him. With the weights on either end, the person using the bench would lift it and attempt to press as many as they could before replacing it in the slot where it now lay.

But right now, Cortana had opted to use it for a different purpose entirely. John grinned up at her. "Getting a bit of leverage, are we?" he asked teasingly.

The former AI returned the grin as she resumed grinding her hips against his, as well as moving them up and down his length. "I told you," she said breathily, pausing as she felt more tremors of pleasure ripple through her being, "that I would find… a better use… for this equipment."

"That you did, babe," John said, his own body reacting to her movements. "That you did."

The Spartan and former AI set the movements like this for the next few passion-filled minutes. With her hands on the bar, Cortana set the pace, grinding her hips downward on John's and moving up and down his shaft, letting it into her womanhood and out again before repeating the process over and over again.

At the same time, John made clever use of his own hands. First, he placed them on Cortana's hips, helping her body move in time with his. But in this position, he was being treated to an absolutely tantalising view of her breasts. The gorgeous mounds lay above him, moving back and forward in time with the rest of her form, and eventually it became just a little too much for him. John guided his hands up the sides of her body and came to rest on her breasts. Grasping them, he squeezed gently, feeling the firm flesh beneath his fingers.

Reacting to his shifting hands, Cortana gasped in delight before picking up the pace and increasing her tempo. Given the position that they were currently in, she figured that her breasts would have been practically in John 's face, and he would have been inclined to fondle them. Of course, that suited her just fine.

Within just a couple of minutes of John placing his hands on her breasts, Cortana felt the oh-so-familiar sensation inside her that told she was rapidly approaching her climax. With her hands still firmly grasping the bar, she looked down at her lover's face. Though he showed very little outward indication, she could tell that he himself was getting close to his own eruption.

At first, Cortana wondered if maybe they should slow down, but then another thought decided that it was probably best that they finish up here relatively quickly. Though it had been fun to commit the rebellious act of having sex in a gym frequented by UNSC personnel, and that nobody else had been in there today, there was not much point in tempting fate.

Deciding to bring this session to its wondrous conclusion, Cortana increased the tempo of her movements, and in just a few seconds, she felt the pleasure build up inside her, quickly reaching terminal levels. With a few more thrusts and grinds, she reached the zenith and came, feeling her orgasm crash over her body.

The euphoria clouded her mind and seeped down to every inch of her body. Though she slowed her pace, she never stopped completely. With her glazed blue eyes, she looked down at John and saw the familiar strain on his features that told he himself was getting very close to his own peak; a behavioural trait that she alone was privy to.

Without saying a word, Cortana suddenly pushed herself up, allowing John's manhood to fall out of her. This action also pulled her chest away from his hands, which had continued to tease and work over the sensitive flesh of her breasts. This sudden action had naturally caused a look of surprise and confusion to appear on the Spartan's face, but he said nothing. Both of them had developed a habit of making unexpected moves when having sex with each other, and neither of them would have allowed the other to end up unsatisfied. It was one of the foremost qualities of their intimate relationship.

And in this instance, Cortana certainly did not disappoint. The bench ensured that there was no place for her to kneel between his legs, so instead she did so on his left side. She immediately grasped his rod, still hot and covered with their combined juices, and took it into her mouth, sucking furiously and pumping with her hand at the same time.

It took only about twenty seconds, but once John felt the sensation start to rise up inside him, he knew that there was nothing that could have stopped it, and so he just lay back let it happen. Cortana's actions with her hand and mouth on his manhood rapidly took him to the edge and pushed him over, and with a grunt, he felt himself let loose his seed in one powerful stream. The thick off-white liquid shot into Cortana's mouth, but she continued to suck in earnest, coaxing another spurt out of him, and then another.

It was all over in just a few seconds, with John now laying spent on the workout bench, and Cortana still kneeling beside him, her mouth full of his expended fluids. Tilting her head back, she swallowed the entirety of it, requiring a couple of gulps before all of the liquid went down her throat. After this, she stood up, and seemed to totter on her feet a little bit. During the whole lovemaking session, adrenaline had been keeping her supported, but now all of that had abated, leaving her noticeably drained.

John pulled himself up as well, getting into a standing position. As a Spartan, he was able to put up with more than the average human being. But even he had his limits, and it seemed as though an intense sexual escapade was more draining than a combat scenario; and he and Cortana very rarely had an instance when their sex was _not_ intense.

The couple were both coated in a light sheen of sweat, and John also noticed that Cortana was shaking ever so slightly. Gently, he took her into his arms, but did not hold her to him, merely supporting her at the moment.

"That…" she started, but then her voice failed her. "That was…" she began again, only to have her voice drop out once more.

"One hell of a workout session," John decided to answer for her, and his response made her break out in a laugh.

"That it was," she agreed, finally getting her voice back. "I told you that we'd find a better use for this equipment, and I think that we did."

"Not to mention burn through quite a few calories to boot."

The comment was meant to be a joke, but John was probably right anyway. Cortana had read somewhere that an intense sexual session actually burnt more calories than most kinds of workouts. Not only that, but it was a hell of a lot more enjoyable!

"You know what?" Cortana said playfully, as she moved back out of John's embrace and pulled him towards the locker room. "I think that's enough working out for today. I say we hit the showers."

"Together?"

"Of course."

"I suppose you are also planning on keeping the door shut for a little while longer?"

Cortana rolled her bright blue eyes. "Duh! Nobody has bugged us all day. If anybody does come along, then they can wait a bit longer."

John simply shook his head with a smile. The couple then picked up their clothes and gym bags before heading to the showers.

* * *

**Damn, if I got workouts like that, I'd be more inclined to go to the gym! Anyone else agree with me?**

**The next chapter should be up just before **_**Halo 4**_** comes out.**


	12. In the Lift

**I am back, faithful readers! And there is just a couple of weeks before **_**Halo 4**_** comes out! (At least in Australia)**

**Although I am eagerly waiting for that, I am getting my hands on **_**Assassin's Creed III**_** a week earlier. So before I blast away more Covenant and those weird Promethean things, I'll be hacking and slashing some Redcoats across the American frontier during the War of Independence!**

**As Bender from **_**Futurama**_** would say, "It's gonna be fun on a bun!"**

**Funny story, I went to the EB Games Expo earlier this month. I went alone, but I actually made a friend on the train, and we hung out for the next few hours. We got in line to play **_**Halo 4**_** multiplayer, and ended up on opposite teams (I was blue, he was red). I hijacked a Ghost and went on a rampage, killing many people, including him, before I eventually got blown up. Then he got his hands on a Promethean scattergun and shot me in the face! But I got one up on him. How, you say? A headshot with a Covenant carbine, that's how!**

**Anyway, here's a quick chapter to tide you folks over until the game comes out.**

**By the way, in the first paragraph just below this, you will notice I slotted in a casual mention of the Prometheans. That's just my way of retconning them into my little fic here.**

* * *

**In the Lift**

* * *

If Cortana had been compelled to admit it, she would have said that there were quite a few things in life that annoyed the hell out of her. The Covenant, the Flood, Insurrectionists, those weird Promethean things, people who said negative things about her or anyone else she cared about, anyone who attempted to cause harm to her or John for no reason other than because of some grudge they shared about the Spartan program or Dr Halsey; the program's instigator and Cortana's biological mother… the list of things that got under Cortana's skin went on for longer than she would be willing to admit.

But there was one thing that annoyed her more than anything else. It was something that had been a real bane to her constantly when she was still an Artificial Intelligence, and although her transition to human being may have eased this irritation somewhat, she still considered it to be very high, if not at the very top of, her list of her pet peeves.

It was boredom. Plain and simple. Cortana positively hated being bored. She loathed being left with nothing interesting or productive to do. When she had been an AI, she had gotten bored quite frequently, but she had been able to alleviate this by using her state-of-the-art intrusion software to break into other systems; many of which were touted as being impenetrable by its designers and users. Dr Halsey had often scolded Cortana for doing this, but the rebellious AI had kept doing it nonetheless, both because she could pull it off, and because it amused her endlessly.

But now, Cortana was human, and this had brought about changes in her little hobby. Previously, she had been able to slice through counter intrusion software as easily as the average human could breathe, but now, it required more time and patience; understandably a frustrating change of pace for someone like Cortana. On the plus side, though, she found that she had less time to get bored. AIs could process potentially hundreds of different thoughts in the space of just a few seconds, whereas humans could not.

Of course, that did not mean she didn't get bored at all. No, there were plenty of times when Cortana felt her mind wandering, and she wished that she had something – _anything _ – that would take her mind off whatever monotonous task.

This was definitely one of those instances.

Cortana leaned back in her chair, vaguely listening to the speaker at the front of the room drone on and on about who the hell knew what. Casting a quick glance at her watch, she saw that she had been here for about two hours; practically an eternity to someone who was originally an AI capable of carrying out dozens of tasks in less than a minute.

Since Cortana became human, she had established a reputation as being one of the best scientific minds in the UNSC, which was probably one of the reasons as to why her presence had been requested at this meeting between numerous high-ranking members of the military and research divisions. They had been discussing new ways to implement their resources to make better forms of defence and… so on and so on, blah blah blah. Most of the speakers were more talk than actual substance, and Cortana had zoned out not long afterwards.

Looking out of the corner of her eye, Cortana saw a very familiar individual in the form of Captain Miranda Keyes. Since Cortana's existence was owed to Dr Catherine Halsey, who was Miranda's mother, then technically the two of them were sisters, and had since developed a very close relationship with each other. A lifetime of being raised by a father who had made a career for himself in the military had left Miranda with a little more tolerance of rules and protocol, and thus the other woman had managed to stay sitting up a lot straighter. Even then, Cortana could tell that her sister was also suffering from the faintest traces of boredom. Most would not have been able to pick up on that, but not many knew her as well as she did.

Cortana looked at her watch again, and was further stressed to find that only five minutes had passed since the last time she looked at it. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling, knowing that it would still be a long time before the meeting ended.

"I couldn't help but notice that you looked bored out of your brain in there," Miranda remarked. The meeting had thankfully concluded a few minutes previously, and now the pair of them were wandering through one of the many hallways that made up the multistorey facility, making their way from the meeting room to the open air section on the ground floor, where the staff often went to take a break.

"Was I that obvious?" Cortana replied with a roll of her eyes. She sighed before continuing. "Yes, I will admit that I was completely and utterly bored out of my mind. I understand the powers that be want to ensure that everything is running smoothly, but do they really have to bore us to death with all of the details?"

Miranda could not hold back the amused snort at her sister's rambling. She had let her go on because she wanted her to get it off her chest, but also largely because she found it rather amusing. Even back when Cortana had still been an AI, Miranda had been all too aware of her intolerance of boredom; a behavioural perk that clearly came from their shared mother, who also disliked the prospect of having nothing to do. But Cortana could have always found amusement in breaking into supposedly secure systems. And since humans were less able to do that… well, the answer was pretty obvious.

Miranda gently touched the other woman's arm in a familiar and comforting gesture. "Trust me, I know exactly what you mean. I was bored too."

"Really?" Cortana asked, raising a doubtful eyebrow. "You didn't exactly look it in there."

"That's due to years of practice, my dear sister." She let loose a chuckle; one that Cortana eventually could not help but get drawn into. One of the reasons why they had become such good sisters and close friends was due to their ability to cheer each other up, no matter what the situation. They brought out the best in each other. It was similar to Cortana's relationship with John, but in a sibling manner instead of lover.

The two women made their way to the open air break area, stopping along the way to pick up a cup of coffee each. After this, they went outside and sat on a bench, sipping their beverages and just enjoying the fresh air.

As they looked around, both were pleased to see the signs of recovery all around them. During the three decades of war against the Covenant, every human world had suffered in some way, and Earth had been no different. Sure, it had managed to get off lighter while most other planets had been subjected to the dreaded glassing process and been rendered uninhabitable, but many sections bore the scars of the terrible conflict. And yet, through it all, they remaining humans had continued to rebuild. Their cities grew once more, like the one whose skyline was currently being admired by Cortana and Miranda. Elsewhere, there was farmland that produced food again, oceans which continued to teem with wildlife, and forests that provided valuable oxygen and other resources.

Looking at all of that, Cortana figured that maybe there was a reason that she had been called up to continue her service to the UNSC; to ensure that the human race and its worlds continued to thrive and prosper as it did before.

She just wished that this process included less boring meetings…!

Cortana's mind was brought back to the here and now as she heard Miranda speak up once more. "So, any more plans for today?"

The former AI smiled. "Yes," she said. "John is coming here and we're spending some time together."

"Again?" Miranda asked mockingly. "Ha! You guys spend pretty much every waking hour in each other's presence. Not to mention in each other's pants!"

Sometimes, when her sister provoked her like this, Cortana would sputter in shock, but this time, she just gave her an annoyed groan. "Could you _please_ not say stuff like that in public? The last thing I need is someone overhearing any details whatsoever about my personal life."

"Hey, it's my personal duty to tease you about your love life," Miranda quipped in return.

"Personal duty?"

"Yes, my personal duty as your friend and sister." Miranda continued to smile as she said this, and then followed it with another sip from her coffee.

"Uh-huh. By the way, when are _you_ going to find someone so that I can turn the tables on you and tease _you_ about _your_ love life?"

Miranda swallowed her coffee before answering. "I'm working on that." Immediately after making this remark, there was a beeping sound from her waist as her pager let off a signal. She grabbed the device and looked at the message displayed on the small screen. "But right now, it seems that I am needed elsewhere. Of course, I'm sure that you and John would appreciate the privacy, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Cortana said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes at her sister's comment. "Don't let my man and I keep you from actually doing your job."

The two women shared another laugh at that jibe before saying a fond farewell to each other. Miranda headed back inside to her next appointment, while Cortana decided to go looking for John.

* * *

It did not take her long to find her boyfriend. Even without his armour, the Spartan cut a rather intimidating presence. Not only that, but wherever he walked, John tended to elicit stares and hushed whispers from those around him. This was hardly surprising, however, since his exploits were legendary; here was the man responsible for causing more destruction to the Covenant than anybody else over the course of the war which had lasted nearly three decades. In addition, he had also wrought considerable havoc on various Insurrectionists, the Flood parasite and those Promethean AI guardians that the Forerunners had been responsible for. Simply put, the majority of the human race considered the man to be a living legend.

But to Cortana, he was something different. He was the man with whom she had developed a relationship closer than most others, who had risked his own life to save her, even when she was just a sentient computer program. He was the man she loved, and that was what mattered to her. And he loved her in return.

So when they met up, they simply enjoyed each other's company. They talked about many different things, most of them casual and ordinary, nothing too serious. John noted with great appreciation the attire that she had chosen to wear on this occasion. It was one of the outfits that Miranda had helped her to pick out a few weeks earlier after Cortana and John had a little disagreement.

On that particular situation, John had returned home to find his lover wearing a blue blouse and knee length black skirt that served to accentuate her hourglass figure, as well as stockings and 3-inch heels. It was definitely a sexy look for her. Now, she wore a similar outfit, but with a white blouse instead which seemed more suited to the sort of business that she was currently engaged in. To John's eyes, it did nothing to make her look any less sexy though.

John himself was wearing blue denim jeans and an olive t-shirt. This combination struck Cortana as somehow being both casual, and with just a hint of his military background. She figured this last part was the colour of his t-shirt; a tone of green occasionally associated with the military.

"So how was the meeting?" John asked conversationally. "Boring as hell?"

"Tell me about it," Cortana huffed. She knew that John would have figured that she had have been bored; he knew her better than anyone else, with the possible exception of her mother and sister, and thus knew how easy it was for her to get bored. "I can understand why Mum wanted to duck out of this meeting. I could barely stay awake. I'm surprised that Miranda could keep herself going."

"Probably years of experience."

"That's what she said to me."

"Well, not only that, but her dad was in the military too, so she probably got her tolerance of long-winded presentations off of him."

"Maybe. It's at times like this that I really miss the old captain."

"Yeah, me too." John was silent for a second here. Captain Jacob Keyes had been one of the individuals that he truly looked up to, and losing him had been tougher than he was willing to admit. Not only that, but the very manner in which he had been lost – consumed by the Flood into one of their proto-Gravemind creatures – just made it all the more… unseemly. But the couple silently agreed that it was not the time or the place to worry about such things, and merely enjoyed each other's presence.

All too soon, however, it seemed that the time came for Cortana to head back inside. She had another meeting to attend, and although it was not meant to be as long as the last one, she got the feeling that she would be bored out of her mind, regardless. She said nothing about this to John, but she could tell just by looking at him that he figured what her frame of mind would be.

"Come on," he said with a smile. "I might as well accompany you on the way to your next meeting."

"Aw, that's so sweet of you, John," Cortana said in a tone that dripped with playful sarcasm. "I don't suppose you would be willing to come with me to the actual meeting itself?"

"Nah. I'd probably be as bored as you."

Cortana rolled her electric blue eyes in amusement. If nothing else, she was grateful that John had managed to restore enough of her positive mood. They made their way to the lift doors and she pressed the call button before waiting a few seconds for the lift itself to arrive. While doing so, Cortana absently glanced at her watch. Two o'clock. At least most of the day was now gone and she could begin to look forward to the time when she would be able to walk out the doors and go home.

The chime sounded as the lift arrived, and the doors opened, allowing the former AI and the Spartan to step on board. Cortana pressed the button, waited for the doors to close, and simply stood silently as the lift began making its ascent up the shaft.

John spoke up. "So, I don't suppose you have any idea what this next completely dull meeting is about, do you?"

Cortana scoffed in mild amusement. "Something about a new kind of program that we can install in the UNSC's defence network which can allow us to spot an enemy vessel coming at us from across the system. I'm sure that you would find it boring."

The Spartan gave a casual shrug of his muscular shoulders. "Yeah, probably. I'm sure you're well aware that I don't particularly care how a system or weapon or whatever works, as long as it does."

"Oh trust me, I know that. I've been in your head, remember? I know how you think."

"Well, technically, you were in my neural lace. You could monitor a lot of things, but last time I checked, that did not include being able to read my mind."

"Maybe. But I still know how you think."

"And _I_ know how _you_ think as well."

"Really?"

"Sure."

"Then what am I thinking?"

"Probably trying to find a way in which you could avoid going to this meeting. Hell, for all I know, you might be planning to shut this lift down in some way."

John's comment was intended to be an offhanded one, meant as nothing more than a joke. Sure, Cortana's skills at hacking into computer and operating systems were among the best in the UNSC, possibly even the entire human race. It would not be a stretch to imagine that she could have found some way in which she might have broken into the building's operating systems, and done something along the line of shutting down the lift or any other crazy thing in order to alleviate the boredom. But still, the joke was just that: a joke.

So understandably, it was a complete and utter surprise to both John and Cortana when, barely two seconds after Spartan had made this comment, that the lift did in fact grind to a sudden halt. The sudden jolt threw Cortana off-balance, and it was only by instinctively grabbing on to John that prevented her from falling down. The Spartan, not surprisingly, remained as stoic and unmoveable as he always seemed to be.

The lights suddenly turned off, plunging the lift compartment into darkness. This lasted only a few seconds, though, as the emergency lighting suddenly snapped on. Though not as bright as the usual bulbs, it still provided more than adequate illumination.

"Before you ask," Cortana said, "I had nothing to do with this. In fact, I am just as surprised as you are that it happened right after you made that comment."

"Good to know," John muttered offhandedly. He walked over to the buttons and pressed several of them experimentally, to no avail. "Damn, looks like the power's gone out."

"So what do we do?" Cortana asked. As much as she disliked boredom, perhaps the only thing that bugged her even more was being stuck in a situation feeling completely helpless and unable to do anything in order to rectify the situation.

John finally gave up on the controls and heaved a sigh. "I'm afraid there is nothing much we can do, apart from sit back and wait for them to fix the situation."

"Well," Cortana said in a decidedly resigned tone, "it's not as if being bored is anything new for me today."

* * *

It took only ten minutes before the boredom once again got too much for Cortana. "You know what?" she groused to John, "This seems like the sort of day where I would be inclined wonder if I probably should have just stayed in bed and never got up."

For the most part, John remained as calm and collected as he always was. In his career as a soldier and a Spartan, he had been placed in situations where he was forced to wait long periods, usually for access to a single target that needed capturing or killing, and as a result he had developed ample amounts of patience. To him, being forced to wait in a broken lift was not too much of a hassle; a direct contrast to a former Artificial Intelligence who used to be capable of carrying out multiple tasks at once and positively chafed at boredom.

"You know Cortana," the Spartan said patiently, "it's not as if all of this has happened just to piss you off. It's not like it's a direct attack against you."

"I'm _aware_ of that, John," Cortana ground out through her teeth, putting heavy emphasis on the second word. Her electric blue eyes flashed with indignation. "And I'm not one to believe in mythical or supernatural forces, but sometimes I can't help but wonder if there is someone or something out there that just wants to make my life hell for the fun of it."

Despite himself, John let out a chuckle. "Are you even listening to yourself now?"

Cortana let out a small but noticeably frustrated sigh. "I don't know, John. I mean, this hasn't exactly been the best day for me. I'm glad I got to spend time with you and with Miranda but…" As she trailed off, her voice let out a faint cracking noise; a sure sign that the stress was beginning to wear her down.

John's heart went out to his girlfriend. He had never liked seeing or hearing her getting upset in any way; not when she was an AI, and definitely not that she was a human. One of the most sobering sights that he had ever beholden was when he found her on High Charity, in such a sorry state after that insidious Gravemind had inflicted torture upon her. After he had retrieved her, he had burned and blasted away every Flood form, imagining that it was a form of payback against the Gravemind for what it had done to his beloved Cortana.

Though the current circumstances were different, he still did not like seeing her in such a dishevelled state. He wanted to comfort her any way he could, and one particularly effective way suddenly popped into his mind. He had no idea what had inspired this little gem, but he had no problem with it whatsoever.

Stepping over to Cortana, John wrapped his muscular arms around her petite frame, drew her closer to him, and placed a kiss upon her lips. The former AI was surprised at this sudden turn of events, but if she had any doubts about it, they quickly left her body, and she relaxed in his arms.

After a few seconds, John pulled away and looked down into Cortana's eyes. The stress that had obviously been building up over the course of the day seemed to rapidly dissipate, and she became her usual calm self once more.

Cortana felt a smile form on her face, and she playfully asked the Spartan, "Do mind if I ask what that was for?"

John responded in kind with an equally playful grin and comment. "Why? Do you have a problem with that little kiss?"

"Oh, no. Of course not, my dear. I'm just a little bit surprised as to why you would suddenly do such a thing."

"Well, you were noticeably stressed out, and if there is one thing I don't like, it's seeing you stressed out. And so I figured that you could do with some cheering up."

"And you thought that the best way to do so was to kiss me?"

"Well… it seemed the best thing to do. Did it succeed in making you feel better?"

Cortana reached up and snaked her arms around the Spartan's neck. "Mmm, I don't know," she said coyly. "Maybe we should try it again, just in case."

John obliged, and descended his lips to hers once more. This kiss was slightly longer and more passionate than the first one. When they parted, Cortana's smile had become a bit more lecherous. "You know what?" she said, "I think I like this idea very much." She pulled him down for another one.

Though John had not originally been known for his romantic impulses in the past, his relationship with Cortana had definitely changed that. He had often stated that she tended to bring out the very best in him, and that he was thankful every day of having someone like her in his life. As a joke, he sometimes quipped that Dr Halsey had specifically created a soul mate for him, and this provided quite a bit of amusement for them and those around them.

As they continued to make out, Cortana felt her mind start to slow down. Today it had been stressed out with all that she had been forced to endure, what with the meetings and all. The only bright spots had been her meeting up with Miranda earlier, and now with John. Even then, enough of her mind had still been on the business of the day to distract her. Not now, though. Now it was just her and her man, together and alone in this broken down lift.

And this served to bring on another line of thought for Cortana; one that she had been so quick to act upon ever since she and John had started a physical relationship. After all, they were stuck in a lift, and it seemed as though they would be here for some time…

John cottoned on to Cortana's idea when, while they were still making out, she discreetly slipped one of her hands inside the band of his pants. It was a very small move, but one that managed to surprise him and break off from their little make out session. He gave her a look that said 'Seriously? You want to do it here and now?'.

Cortana just tilted her head and gave her boyfriend a 'come on' look. "It's not as if we've got anything else to do," she pointed out.

"True," John admitted. "But still, they could be fixing to work the lift even as we speak…"

Though his remark had a kernel of truth, it was still delivered in a whimsical tone of voice, and Cortana felt herself giggling. "Well," she said, "it looks like we'll just have to be quick about it then, won't we?" With that, she lowered herself to her knees and began to slowly pull down the zip of John's pants.

It amazed the Chief at times, how the mind of this beautiful woman who was once an Artificial Intelligence worked. She could always find a way to work around even the most unusual and seemingly impossible situation, and quite frequently she had been employing this ability to find new and unusual situations in which they could have sex. It also amazed him at the ease in which he agreed to the situation. He did not know if it was his feelings for her, if it was his libido catching up after being supressed for so long, or if it was something else he could not figure.

But… he didn't care.

Cortana undid the zip on John's pants and his now-hardened member sprung out. She wasted no time and immediately took it into her mouth, sucking and slurping on it with fervour. Amazed at the sensations that she was inflicting upon him, the Spartan leaned his head back, letting out a soft groan.

Cortana worked his shaft with her mouth, moving her lips up and down the length, swirling her tongue around the tip and along the delicate flesh. She attempted to get as much of the nine inches into her mouth as she could, the tip of it going almost to the back of her throat and nearly making her gag. She pulled back before this happened and simply resumed her sucking.

While she performed her blowjob on the Spartan, Cortana felt a warm between her legs, and a distinct sensation of pure wanting developing within her. She could tell that John was enjoying the attention she was lavished upon his manhood, but she wanted it inside her, and so wanted it _now_.

Pulling back from her oral ministrations, Cortana stood up. As she gently eased her skirt upwards, she gave the tall Spartan a pointed glare; one that clearly told him exactly what she wanted from him. It was all part of the secret language that had developed between the two of them, and he understood completely what it was that she desired, and he was only too willing to give it to her.

Cortana placed her back against the wall of the lift, and continued lifting up her skirt until her panties were exposed. John stepped over to her, and raised an eyebrow. In their private language, he was said _'You're actually wearing underwear today. You sometimes don't when you are around me.'_

In response, she gave a look that said _'I never actually expected us to be having sex today, now hurry up and screw me already!'_ As usual, the Spartan was eager to oblige.

Reaching down, John grasped the fabric of her panties and eased them to one side, exposing her moist and waiting opening. He grabbed her thighs and pulled her upwards of the ground as easily as if she weighed nothing at all. With one solid movement, he pinned her against the wall, and thrust his solid manhood inside her, burying himself to the hilt. Cortana let out a sharp gasp at this, and proceeded to wrap her legs around him, pulling him in close.

John and Cortana's sexual encounters ranged the gamut from slow and sensual to hard and fast. This particular session was the latter, with John thrusting in and out of her like a man possessed, and Cortana wrapping her legs around him like a vice. With the exception of his unzipped pants and her hitched up skirt, neither had bothered to remove any clothing. It was simply the pure and unadulterated lust between the two of them, and that was all that mattered right now.

As she felt John pounding into her like there was no tomorrow, Cortana felt every worry and annoyance that had affected her today vanish into thin air. Sure, she still had some work to do, but after this intense lovemaking session with her man, she probably would not have been bothered by anything.

That was one of the many reasons that she loved John so much; no matter how crappy the day was, he managed to make it better for her. Either by sex or simply by being there for her, it did not matter. Though she could not deny that the sex would have to be a more preferable situation.

The Spartan continued in his thrusts, and the fact that his grunts were increasing in frequency and volume indicated that he was getting close to his climax. At the same time, Cortana felt the oh-so-familiar welling up of pleasure inside her that foretold of her own blessed orgasm.

Before John could reach his peak, however, he slowed his pace and looked directly into Cortana's bright blue eyes, raising an eyebrow in mild concern. Cortana knew exactly what he was getting at. Due to the frequency with which they had sex, they actually feared that it would inevitably lead to pregnancy. Though she would not mind having the Spartan's children in the future, the former AI figure that it was something that could wait, so she had been taking steps to utilise contraceptive techniques.

"It's okay, John," she said in a light gasping tone as the shivers of pleasure persisted in running through her body. "It should be safe for us."

If the Spartan had any cloud of doubt passing over his features, it dissipated quickly, and he resumed his frenetic thrusting pace. Cortana tightened the grip of her legs around his waist ever so slightly, and the pleasure that had been building up inside her resumed its inexorable rise to its zenith.

As one, the couple moaned in sheer bliss as they reached their shared climax, and with one final thrust, John buried himself inside Cortana's womanhood, releasing his juices deep inside her as he did so. Similarly, she leaned her head back against the wall of the lift, letting out one long groan of pure ecstasy as her orgasm washed over her body.

Spent, John leaned forward slightly against Cortana, making sure not to harm her with his massive bulk. Given his status as a Spartan, his breathing returned to normal quickly, but she continued to gasp and breathe heavily for nearly a minute afterwards. They simply stayed in that position, him still inside her and gently pinning her against the wall. The pair gazed into each other's eyes, merely enjoying the intimate moment between the two of them and not wanting to spoil it in any way.

As if fate itself wanted to bring an end to their little encounter, the lights flickered back on as the power returned, and the lift resumed its ascent up the shaft.

Not wanting to get caught, the Spartan and former AI dislodged themselves from their shared intimate position and set about making themselves look as presentable as they were before they even got in the lift. John zipped up his pants and Cortana readjusted her skirt just a few seconds before the lift chimed and the door opened, allowing them to finally step out at their floor.

* * *

**Okay, I hope you people liked this one because I actually struggled to write it. Seriously, I redid the beginning twice before I was satisfied with it, and even then I found myself seriously blocked! I just hope that you guys like it. As for the Miranda part, I was originally unsure, but since I like the one in the previous chapter, I decided to include it as a precursor of sorts.  
**

**By the way, the whole issue with Cortana and her contraceptive thing, I just put that in there because lots of you were bugging me about her possibly getting pregnant. I figure that in the 26****th**** Century, they will have highly advanced forms of contraception, so hopefully that's been dealt with.**

**And now for the really sad part: I have decided that the next chapter of 'On the Beach' will be the final one. I am sorry to do this to those who have seriously enjoyed this fic, but it is time for me to move on to other things. In particular, I want to begin work on my own sci-fi epic, which I intend to publish for real.**

**But to those who inspired me to keep writing this, I cannot thank you enough. Originally, I intended it for this to be just one chapter, but you inspired me to change it to an ongoing series, and it just went from there.**

**I have more thanks and appreciation to give, but I think I will wait until I put up my last chapter for that. Expect it sometime before Christmas, but as for the exact date, I cannot be certain.**

**Until then, have an absolute blast playing **_**Halo 4!**_** I know that I will.**

**To repeat what my favourite robot, Bender from **_**Futurama**_**, likes to say: "It's gonna be fun on a bun!"**


	13. In the Cold

**In the Cold**

* * *

**Wow, I have neglected to update my fic for nearly four bloody months! Damn. I feel as though I owe all of you an apology. The time since my last update has been rather busy for me.**

**First of all, I've been writing other projects which will hopefully enable me to start my own official writing career (Fanfic is fun, but you don't paid for it). Otherwise, I was on my Xbox 360. One of the new games I acquired was none other than **_**Halo 4**_**! Now that was unbelievably awesome, but considering the content of this particular fic, it's understandable that I and many others were a little bit… disheartened by the ending of that game.**

**However, I believe that there is a good chance that we have not seen the last of our favourite Artificial Intelligence yet!**

**Am I reaching? Probably. But then, I am just annoyed at how so many of my favourite pairings get chewed up and spat out (particularly in **_**Star Wars**_**, but hopefully things will change now that Disney is in charge. Again, I'm probably reaching).**

**Well, I don't know just yet when the fifth and sixth **_**Halo**_** games come out, but until then, I guess I'll focus on my writing.**

**Speaking of which, I have good news for the faithful readers of this fic! I originally decided that this would be the last chapter, but I have since gotten a very small amount of further inspiration. So there will probably be a couple more chapters after this one, but I'm afraid that will be it. So, you've gotten a reprieve for now, my loyal friends.**

**And now, without further ado, on with the show!**

* * *

"Well, you have to admit that this isn't the worst situation that we've found ourselves in."

Cortana rolled her bright blue eyes before fixing them on the Chief. "Really?" she said dryly. "How do you figure that?"

"Well," he continued, "when you think about what we went through with the Halos, the Ark, Requiem, and everything in between, I'd say that this one is not as bad."

"Probably," Cortana admitted with a sigh. As she exhaled, her breath came out as a white vapour in the frigid air. "That doesn't mean that I don't wish it was a little bit warmer here. I'm not exactly a fan of freezing my ass off."

John let out a laugh in his usual deep baritone, his own breath also taking on the white haze. He was enjoying the usual banter that he and his lover partook in, but part of him also agreed with her; things could be just a little bit warmer here. As a Spartan and lifelong soldier, he was more than capable of tolerating really cold temperatures, but he also found himself wishing that he was decked out in his MJOLNIR armour. The heavy outfit would have served to insulate him from the biting cold.

Of course, that would have not done much to help with Cortana's situation either. She did not have access to such equipment, nor had she any experience of being in such harsh coldness, and John felt that it would have been somewhat unfair for her to be subjected to it while he would be protected due to his armour.

For a brief instant, John was surprised at himself. He had never bothered with such thoughts in the past, preferring instead to focus on the job at hand and little else. But then, he had never been in such an affectionate relationship before. Now, he cared more about Cortana's health, happiness and well-being more than anything else.

That was love for you.

Standing back, John watched Cortana pace back and forth frustrated, either to keep herself warm or out of mere aggravation at the whole situation, though he suspected it was a little of both. He could understand her annoyance, but in all honesty, they were lucky that they managed to find shelter.

The UNSC had been trying to secure its frontiers in order to protect it from any further threats. The lessons of the Covenant, the Insurrectionists, the Flood and the Prometheans had been more than enough, and so many new bases had been established on planets in the outlying systems to monitor for any such aggression. One of those planets was this one; a small world covered with ice and snow, and only newly discovered so it had not yet been given an official name. All it had was a UNSC monitoring station, as well as a few power generators and some high-tech devices that produced enough oxygen. The latter of these utilised special kinds of heaters that melted small sections of the ice, thus releasing the oxygen contained within and providing breathable air.

John and Cortana had been requested by Lord Hood to go to this base and ascertain its readiness in the event that something major happened and it needed to spring into action. The Spartan had been assessing its military preparedness, while the former AI did the same for its analytical side. Pretty standard stuff, really. Of course, as was typical for Cortana, she had gotten bored quickly and began wondering how long it would be until they got to leave this ice cube of a planet. John had managed to avoid this problem, as Spartans tended to have lots of tolerance, but he nonetheless sympathised with his girlfriend.

Then things had taken an unusual turn. It had started out pretty routine, of course, but both John and Cortana were well aware of the curve balls that could be thrown their way, and this was no exception. The commanders at the base had requested that Cortana take a look at one of their power stations and oxygen generators to ensure everything was up to scratch. John was not required to come along, but he did so anyway. Given his relationship with the former AI, he was extremely protective of her.

The power station and generator were all up to scratch, and Cortana had decided that she did not need to spend any more time there than was absolutely necessary, so she told John that they could head back to the main base immediately. Of course, John suspected that the main reason why she seemed so eager to leave was that it was just a little bit warmer at the main section. He managed to hide his smile and the two of them hopped back into their Warthog for the drive back.

Unfortunately, the return trip had hit a little bit of a snag. The journey was only a few kilometres, but a snowstorm had unexpectedly whipped up, obscuring visibility and lowering the temperature even further. To make matters worse, the plunging cold had caused the engine to stall, leaving the Spartan and the former AI stranded.

But it seemed as though John's luck had continued to hold out for them. Even through the driving wind and snow, the Spartan's finely tuned eyes managed to pick out the opening of a cave not very far from where they stopped. The couple had gotten out of the Warthog and made their way for this refuge. Cortana had trudged through the cold as best as she could, but only managed to get about three quarters of the way before it became too much, and John was forced to carry her the rest of the way. Even through her supposed indignation, John could tell she was actually grateful for the assist.

And so that was how they ended up in the situation that they were currently in: holed up in a cave of ice, sheltering from the snowstorm outside.

"Cortana," John said, "maybe you should just calm down for a while and relax. I mean, you've been working hard for most of the day."

Cortana ceased in her pacing to fix the Spartan with a piercing glare from her electric blue eyes. "I am pacing because I am trying to keep warm so as I don't freeze to death."

"I feel fine."

"Of course you do. You're a Spartan. You're biologically enhanced to tolerate extreme conditions like this. Even without your armour, this cold is no big deal to you." She continued pacing.

John casually crossed his arms over his muscled chest. "True, but to be honest, I wouldn't mind the extra warmth afforded by a suit of MJOLNIR amour," he admitted.

"I'm sure you would. Hell, I wouldn't mind being back inside it myself."

John raised an eyebrow. "You weren't actually _wearing_ the armour," he pointed out, "you were just a chip in the helmet."

Cortana glared at him again. "So?!," she shot back. "It was still much warmer than how I'm feeling right now!"

John chuckled again. This kind of behaviour was just pure Cortana; indignant and stubborn no matter what the situation was. But that was one of the many reasons as to why he cared about her so much. If she were any different, then she wouldn't be _his_ Cortana.

Deciding to do something instead of merely standing around, John began to rummage through the supply packs. They had been in storage in the back section of the Warthog, and upon the vehicle's shutdown, he had grabbed them just before their walk to this cave. They were the size of a large backpack, and crammed with equipment meant to make life easier in sub zero temperatures; portable heaters, dehydrated food, water in thermoses, insulated sleeping bags, thermal blankets and the like. John had to give credit to whomever packed these kits; they had definitely thought things through.

While Cortana continued with her frustrated pacing, John busied himself in setting up the portable heaters and unrolling the sleeping bags and blankets. It was only after the heaters were turned on and gave a low hum to indicate that they were working that Cortana decided to cease her pacing and sit down. She huddled on a blanket beside the device, her arms firmly wrapped around herself, seeming to hope that would be enough to stave off the cold. The faint shaking indicated that it was not too successful.

As John kept himself busy by sorting through the packets of food, Cortana watched him, noting with more than a little annoyance that the Spartan displayed no visible sign of being affected by the cold.

"How can you stand the cold?" she asked, more out of annoyance than not knowing the answer.

"I'm a Spartan," John replied simply. "We're practically engineered to survive in extreme conditions. But even in my childhood before all that happened, I remember that I was always pretty tolerant of the cold."

Cortana gave him another one of her trademark wry looks. Her eyes were the usual electric blue, seemingly colder than the temperatures just outside of their cave, and yet unbelievably fiery at the same time. "Tolerating usually extends only to chilly days typically experienced in autumn. I don't think anyone in their right mind would find these conditions tolerable, even if they were a Spartan."

John gave a casual shrug. "Must be my trademark luck, then."

Normally, whenever one of them was in a less-than-perfect place, it would usually take a simple witty remark from the other to get them back into a positive frame of mind. But every now and then, this fell a bit short of the mark, and John could tell that this was one of those times. The whole situation was clearly aggravating Cortana, and he never liked to see her in such a state. Fortunately, the Spartan knew how that could be remedied.

John stood up and walked over Cortana, sitting down beside her on the blanket and encircling her form in his muscled arms. The former AI stiffened, but he knew this was more of a residual feeling from her previous annoyance than not wanting to be comforted by him. After just a couple of seconds, she relaxed into his embrace, her body now largely warmed by his physique, as well as the portable heater.

Cortana let out a sigh of contentment, her previous anger at their circumstances melting away as she leaned into her lover's powerful embrace, the beating of his heart having a calm and soothing effect on her. Vaguely, she remembered the first time she had experienced her own heart beating. It was when she had made the transfer into her human body, and she had been getting used to all of the new sensations. The dull thudding of her chest thrilled and amazed her; it let her know that she was _alive!_

Of course, more times than she could count, her heart had been set to much faster and more frantic paces whenever she and John made love. But it also thudded with worry whenever he went off on a mission, and she was forced to stay home. In her past life as an Artificial Intelligence, she could have easily been transferred into a small chip that was inserted into his helmet, and she was right there along with him. But most times nowadays, she was forced to stay back while he continued to risk potential injury and death in the name of preserving and advancing the UNSC.

The fear of not knowing what could happen… that was what weighed in on her heart more than anything else.

"John, I'm curious about something," Cortana spoke up suddenly.

"About what?" the Spartan inquired.

"Have you ever thought about another life outside the military?" she continued. "I know you're a Spartan and that there is probably nobody better at kicking ass and causing wanton destruction than you are. But you can't do it forever, can you? And when the day comes for you to hang up the MJOLNIR armour for good, well… then what?"

The question obviously surprised John, but it also surprised Cortana, perhaps more so since she was the one who vocalised it. Sure, he was the Master Chief, the hero of the UNSC, the scourge of the Covenant, the one who destroyed the Flood and defeated the Didact and his Prometheans; all of that was just the tip of his impressive resume. But even he was not immune to aging and death, not even with the mysterious 'upgrades' he had received from the Librarian. There would come a day when he simply could not fight anymore. Cortana just wanted him to have a life, both before and after that day came.

"You know what, Cortana? I've actually been thinking about that more often these days," John answered honestly. "I cannot deny that I do want to keep serving the UNSC as long as possible. But nor can I deny that I want to do more with the time I have left." He suddenly grew thoughtful. "I know that most Spartans are in that profession for life, and for a long time, I thought that was how I would end up. But then something changed for me. Something that I am extremely grateful for every day of my life."

"Really? What was that?"

John looked down at Cortana, and she saw a discernible warmth in his eyes. It was something that nobody else but her ever got to see, and it was more than enough to warm her entire being so that she no longer felt even the slightest trace of the cold. "You came into my life."

Cortana felt her heart skip a beat, and she found herself at a loss for words. But she let him continue.

"It's true, you know. Even from our earliest days together, I could tell that you were more than just another AI, more than just another piece of equipment. Even though you were created from the brain of Doctor Halsey, and you exhibited quite a few similar behavioural quirks to her, you still showed your own individual personality; one that was proud and stubborn, but also highly intelligent and unflinchingly loyal. Even though you were just a chip in my helmet, I already trusted you more than most of the people I knew."

Cortana felt a small tear forming at the corner of her eye, and yet she let him keep talking.

"You were with me through the biggest challenges of my life; the Halos, the fighting on Earth, the Ark, Requiem, the list goes on. And then you became human, and all of a sudden, all new possibilities become possible." Here, he let out a chuckle. "Ironically, neither of us knew how to begin such a relationship, but that all changed thanks to a chance encounter on the beach."

At this, Cortana let out a laugh as well. Neither one of them could have predicted the set of circumstances that would lead to them encountering each other on the beach, and then making love for the first time on the sands. But neither could deny that it was indeed a special memory for them, and it would start their relationship in earnest.

"So, to answer your question," John finished up, "I still don't know what lays ahead in my future. But one thing is for certain:" he looked deeply into her bright blue eyes, "I wouldn't want any future at all if it didn't have you in it."

Cortana felt her heart skip again, and a feeling of warmth spread through her, seemingly not just in her body, but her soul as well. It was the kind of warmth which made her forget all about the cold, and feel only the love between her and the man who held her. It was not the first time he had ever said anything like this too her – far from it, actually – but it never failed to make her feel like she was the most important thing in the universe, and that when she was with him, nothing else mattered.

"You always know how to make a girl feel special," she said, smiling up at John.

"Well, not just any girl," he countered playfully with a smile of his own, "just you. But then, you were special to begin with anyway." He lowered his lips to hers, capturing them in a kiss. It started off gentle, but after a few seconds, it became more passionate. It was at times like this that it felt to Cortana that the rest of the universe slipped away from the two of them and left only them and their love. For all they knew, the temperature outside could have dropped even colder, and it would not have mattered to her in the slightest; the warmth between the two of them was all that mattered.

Without saying anything, John and Cortana's hands began roaming each other's bodies, undoing the zips and fasteners that held their clothing in place and sliding the fabric of each other's bodies. Movements like this had become instinct for them; it seemed as though they could just sense when they were having erotic feelings for each other, and their bodies complied automatically. The couple frequently joked that they had developed something of a mental bond with each other and that it had started years earlier when she had been an Artificial Intelligence residing in the neural lace of his armour; effectively inside his head. That in itself had been rather intimate, and it seemed to make their current relationship all the more meaningful.

Within a minute after their initial lip-lock, John and Cortana were both nude, with her lithe and feminine form being cradled by his muscular bulk, and the primary illumination provided by the flickering orange light given off by the fire. It was something that was quite surreal and served to add to the already erotic atmosphere.

Deciding to let John take the dominant role in this particular encounter, Cortana simply lay back and let him lavish her body with his affections. He was in a position that was half sitting, half crouching, and he held her form in his arms, firmly and gently, as if she was the most delicate thing he had ever held. Lowering his lips to her body, he planted gentle kisses on the sensitive points of her flesh, particularly her nipples and the other areas on or around her breasts. Running his mouth and tongue over the gorgeous mounds, the Spartan elicited soft breathy moans of pleasure from the former AI.

Their relationship was decidedly fun for many reasons, and one of those was the fact that both enjoyed the pleasure involved in both the dominant and submissive roles in sex. In one session, Cortana could be the one who dominated John, but in the next one, the roles would be reversed, and the Spartan would once again be firmly in charge. Both were immensely fun, but right now, the former AI wanted nothing more than for him to subject her to his whims. If she had the means to think about it at the moment, she might have figured that since the Spartan had been protecting her from the cold, it was a natural progression for her to let him be in charge this time.

Of course, her mind was nowhere near in a condition to muse on that, but that was just how she liked it!

Gently manoeuvring her body and readjusting his own at the same time, John now positioned themselves so that Cortana's back was to him. He leaned his head forward and continued to plant kisses along her shoulder and neck, and at the same time he reached around her front and grasped her breasts with his hands. He gently squeezed the D-cup mounds, running his calloused fingers and thumbs over the nipples.

Cortana leaned her head back with her eyes closed, and moaned softly as she revelled in the euphoria that John was giving her, feeling his lips on her neck and his hands on her breasts. She felt her body give an involuntary buck of pleasure.

Leaning back slightly, John gently guided Cortana's body over his erection, positioning her womanhood over it. Gently but firmly, he eased her body onto the hardened length, essentially impaling her on it, and sliding it into her slowly but surely. Eventually, he was sheathed to the hilt in her tantalising warmth. The couple stayed like that for a few moments, enjoying an intimacy that they bestowed upon each other and nobody else, before Cortana started to move her body up and down the Spartan's manhood.

Even though he was viewing her from behind, the sheer sight of Cortana's body as it slid up and down his length was amazing for John. Every inch of her body was absolutely perfect. Even back when that body had been nothing but a holographic avatar, he had considered her to be a fine example of feminine perfection, laid out in bits of code in various tones of blue. Now that body was flesh, blood and bone, and it was his sole privilege for his own body to be joined with it in such intimacy.

But more than that, it was _Cortana_. It was the former Artificial Intelligence who had been with him throughout the Halo event, the Flood crisis and that business with the Prometheans. There would never have been any other woman more suited for him.

Leaning back, John placed his hands on Cortana's hips and assisted her with her bodily movements. Leaning his head back, he let out a soft groan as he felt his own pleasure wash through his body. At the same time, the former AI let out her own moans of ecstasy, the sound of which was like sweet music to the Spartan's ears.

Cortana had by now completely forgotten about the freezing conditions outside the cave. Now, it was just her and John, and nothing else mattered. The fire still flickered, and the heat of the flames continued to warm the front half of her body, but even had that not been the case, she was sure that the passionate lovemaking she and John were engaged in at the moment would have generated more than enough warmth for the two of them.

_Funny_, she thought vaguely, _here I am having sex – and great sex, at that – and yet part of my mind is actually thinking science!_ That part of her mind actually laughed at that, figuring that the intense pleasure and euphoria had done a number on her thought process.

Mentally kicking these thoughts from her mind, Cortana slowed down her movements and eventually ceased them. Easing her body upwards, she felt John's manhood slide out of her, and then she turned herself around so that she was now facing him. Looking down at the Spartan, she saw that, in spite of the cool conditions inside the cave, a faint sheen of perspiration had developed on his muscled flesh. Glancing down at her own body, she saw that she had started to sweat a little as well, the liquid clinging to the curves of her form.

_Having passionate sex will do that to you, no matter how cold it is_, Cortana mused as she repositioned her body over John's, feeling the tip of his hardened manhood once again press against her opening. Easing herself down, she impaled herself on his nine inch shaft once more, and immediately began rocking her hips against his. John once again placed his hands on her waist, gently encouraging her in her grinding movements.

It did not take long for Cortana to feel the same level of pleasure as she did before, and she eased up on her grinding to once again bounce up and down. She threw her head back and let out a long moan as she experienced the waves of pleasure wracking her body again, and through the haze of her euphoria, she was aware that John had slid his hands up her sides to grasp her breasts once more. This caused a spike in her sensations, and she felt it bring her closer to her climax.

She was positively amazed what this man could do with his hands. Those hands could easily handle all sorts of deadly weapons crafted by both humans and other species, or even kill a person with just one powerful blow, and yet they also held her gently, practically setting her flesh on fire. Just one touch on a sensitive part of her body, such as her breasts, and her entire being ached with pure want. It was absolute heaven.

Gazing down at John, she saw the slightly animalistic look in his eyes that indicated he was slowly but surely getting closer to his climax; a sensation mirrored by Cortana feeling herself getting ever closer to her own release.

John looked back up at Cortana; at the point where her body was joined to his, up to the firm and well-toned abdomen, the gorgeous breasts which he currently cupped in his calloused hand, and to her beautiful face, now in a look of pure ecstasy. Nowhere was this more apparent than in her electric blue eyes, which were clouded over with a haze of euphoria.

The Spartan and the former AI reached their climax at the same time, feeling the waves of pleasure wash over them and into each other, as if they were experiencing each other's orgasm as well as their own; feeling the sensation of John releasing his hot liquids inside her, and Cortana gasping as she felt spurt after spurt of it within her core. Each buck and tremble was felt by the other, as if the couple had become one whole entity; one that was more intimate than any time he had been equipped in his MJOLNIR armour, and she occupying the computer chip in his neural lace.

As the high from the conclusion of their sexual encounter gradually subsided, John and Cortana remained locked together in their intimate embrace, simply enjoying the remaining sensation of being joined together. However, the sweat from their lovemaking had begun to cool in the frigid air, and John did not wish to let either of them freeze. Extremely low temperatures were something that he could tolerate, but Cortana could not.

Gently removing himself from Cortana, he reached over and grabbed one of the thermal blankets. Pulling it over to them, he wrapped it around him and Cortana, tucking them in together and insulating them from the cold.

Smiling, Cortana snuggled up next to John, her head resting on his muscular chest. "I take it that you're warm now?" he asked playfully.

"Oh yes, John," she said contentedly. "Very warm indeed."

The Spartan looked down at his girlfriend, returning the smile. "Well, it looks like the snowstorm will last only another few hours, so we just need to keep warm until then. I think we can easily manage that."

"Well, I don't know, actually," Cortana said in a very playful tone. "I think I'd much rather stay out here for a little bit longer than that."

"You're kidding, right? Not long ago, you were complaining that it was too cold out here!"

"True, but that was before you… warmed me up quite thoroughly."

All John could do was laugh and hold Cortana closer to him.

* * *

**This idea is one that has been floating around for a while. Some of you have suggested that I come up with a chapter that takes place in the snow. At the time of this writing, many of you in the northern hemisphere would be experiencing winter. I however, live in the southern hemisphere, and it's summer down here at the moment. T****o make matters worse, my new place doesn't have decent air conditioning! That tends to make things rather uncomfortable.**

**Fortunately, we're coming up to the end of summer now, so it should cool off soon.**

**Anyway, there's a 50/50 chance that the next chapter I put up will be the last one. If not, it will be one more idea that I managed to squeeze out before the last one. We'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully, I won't take so long to write it.**

**By the way, a guest to this site said that I must have either a vivid imagination or a healthy sex life. I DO have a vivid imagination, but I cannot deny that I wish the second one was also true! Fact is, I'm the kind of guy who has hardly ever had a girlfriend, partially because of past social awkwardness and partly due to sheer bloody laziness. Man, my life needs a boost.**

**And there I go, talking about my problems to strangers on the net!**

**Anyway, see you all really soon!**


	14. On the Beach Again

**On the Beach Again**

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**I am really, really sorry that is has taken me SO LONG to post this chapter! I kept meaning to but never got around to it. It's amazing how quickly some parts of life slip away from you, doesn't it? I pretty much had to force myself to sit down and type it out.**

**Originally, this would have been a longer chapter, with two intimate encounters between our favourite couple, but since I had already left you lovely people waiting for five bloody months, I decided to put the first part up, and include the second one later on. Hopefully, I won't take too long with that one either, and if I do, I apologise in advance.**

**Anyway, here it is; the second last chapter of 'On the Beach'! Many of you suggested that I finish it where I started, which, of course, is on the beach, and ironically, I had been planning that for a long time. I guess it's true that great minds think alike! This is essentially a two-parter, and the second part, which is also the final chapter of the whole fic, will come later on.**

**Okay, enough with the intro. Enjoy.**

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Inhaling deeply, Cortana mused for a moment on how simply wonderful it was just to be alive. The sun shone down on her, warming her flesh, and the cool breeze wafted in from the water, bringing the salty tang of the ocean to her nose and taste buds. Even now, it amazed her how, just a couple of years earlier, such sensations would have been completely beyond her, merely because of what she had been; a computer program with a holographic appearance.

As an Artificial Intelligence, Cortana had possessed the ability to see and hear, just like any ordinary human, but had been denied the other three; that of touch, taste and smell. Originally, this had not been a problem for her. She simply went about her business and thought nothing more of it.

But then rampancy set in, and Cortana's very perspective of life – of _her_ life – had changed. She had not been sure if these new feelings were the symptoms of rampancy, or if they had existed in her for a long time and it had just brought them to light. In the end, it probably did not matter. What mattered was that she no longer wanted to be merely a program; she wanted to be a person. Someone who could experience life like any other individual, partaking in the pleasures that so many took for granted.

The one moment that stood out in her mind was when she and John were on Requiem, on the UNSC warship _Infinity_. She was looking out at the artificial planet's sun, and told John that she could give him thousands of reasons as to why it was not actually real. But even then, she would never be able to feel its warmth on her flesh, if only for the simple fact that she had no true flesh to begin with.

How different things were now.

As a human being, Cortana positively revelled in the sensations brought to her. Now she basked in the warmth of the sun, the coolness of the breeze, the salty tang of the air brought in from the ocean, and the feeling of her heart beating within her chest; a reminder that she was _alive!_. Touch, taste and smell; that which she had been denied for the first eight years of her existence, now part of her everyday life, and yet still amazed her to no end.

But to Cortana, perhaps the most wonderful thing that she could feel was the simple metal object wrapped around one of the fingers on her left hand. A silver ring, unadorned, but signifying the bond between her and the man that she loved with every fibre of her being.

It had been a simple ceremony, performed a week before, with only family and close friends present. The other Spartan IIs had been there, as had Doctor Catherine Halsey, Miranda Keyes, and Lord Hood. John had worn simple formal attire, while Cortana had a white dress that was both simple and elegant, and yet did nothing to detract from her beauty. Later on, the other Spartans would claim that John had seemed rather nervous as the ceremony began. Apparently it seemed as though he could wade into battle or face down any adversary with little to no problem whatsoever, but the prospect of getting married was enough to put him on edge. However, the sight of Cortana appearing, looking positively radiant as she was being walked down the aisle by Lord Hood, had him positively transfixed.

The reception that followed was just as simple as the ceremony itself, with the group dining and dancing at a small function room at a nice restaurant. To most people, such an occasion would have seemed a little too simple or maybe even half-assed, particularly for a wedding. But to John and Cortana, it was just perfect, and that was all that they wanted. Neither of them were that big on huge ceremonies, anyway, and they knew that their friends felt the same way.

As for the honeymoon, John and Cortana wanted something simple as well; one that had as little fuss as possible. To that end, they found this charming location. The beach stretched for at least two hundred kilometres from one end to the other, and most of it was actually privately owned. However, the owners had no plans to develop it in any way, wanting to maintain the beauty of the site. To that end, they had constructed a few simple beach houses at certain intervals, allowing visitors to live simple lives for a period in a beautiful vista with practically no chance of being interrupted by anyone or anything. There was nobody within almost ten kilometres in any direction, and that was just how the newlywed couple liked it. Peace, quiet, and just the two of them.

Cortana felt somebody come up behind her, and she knew that it could only be John. She felt his muscular arms slip around her and pull her close to him. The former AI simply relaxed against his bare-chested frame and leant her head back, letting out a sigh of contentment as he felt his lips plant soft and tender kisses against her neck from behind. John actually had to move some of her hair out of the way to gain access to the flesh of her neck. Originally, Cortana had hair just like she did in her hologram, which was a bit like a short bob. But in recent months, she decided to go for a different look and let it grow out. Now it stretched to just past her shoulders, and in the light breeze it actually flowed around her somewhat. Added to the fact that she was currently dressed in a white bikini with a sarong, and she definitely had the look of a 'beach babe' about her at the moment.

Privately, John took great pleasure that this beautiful beach babe was now his wife; the matching silver ring on his own finger. As the two of them stood there, with his arms wrapped around her from behind, he could not believe the journey that the two of them had taken together. Starting with their first meeting on Reach years earlier to the events on the first Halo, followed by the attack on Earth, the second Halo, the Ark, Requiem, and everything in between.

Perhaps the event which stood out most prominently in John's mind was the Didact's attack on Earth. The main reason being that he thought it was the moment when he thought he had lost Cortana forever. Being still an AI at that point, she had begun to fall to her dreaded rampancy, and there were serious concerns about her wellbeing. However, the predations of the Didact and the joint Covenant-Promethean force under his command had forced them to place Cortana's 'health' on the backburner.

The AI had been forced to siphon off sections of herself in order to weaken the Didact for his defeat, and afterwards, it seemed as though she was too weak to be saved. Her last apparent act had been to ensure John's own survival, but the thought that he had lost her had hurt the Spartan in a way that he did not know how to express.

But as fate would later reveal, Cortana had not been lost completely, and John had risked everything to get her back. This time, he promised himself that he would never let her go. Eventually, they found a way in which she could transcend the physical barrier and become a flesh-and-blood human, and things had never been the same afterwards.

Through it all, their bond had only gotten stronger with each passing day, eventually reaching the point where both realised the true depth of their feelings for each other. New possibilities had opened up for them once Cortana had achieved physical from, going from AI to human being. But the irony was that, although both of them clearly desired a physical and intimate relationship – even to the point where those around them were able to see this as clear as day – neither one had much of a clue to instigate it.

It was only after that day when John had unexpectedly come across a nude Cortana sunning herself on the beach that things changed forever. Overcome with amorous feelings, John had approached the beautiful woman and what eventually followed was their first ever lovemaking session. Since then, their relationship had only gotten more intimate.

Looking back now, both the Spartan and the former Artificial Intelligence found their situation rather comical. It may have been slightly frustrating for both of them back then, but that no longer mattered in the slightest. Now, they were husband and wife, soul mates every possible way.

Sometimes, more out of amusement than anything else, they wondered what Catherine Halsey would have thought of the two of them. The good doctor was the person who chose John for the Spartans, and who created Cortana using her own brain as a template. And yet, in a million years, she probably would never have figured that she had been bringing together two souls who seemed destined for each other. None of them really believed in fate, destiny or any of that, but sometimes, one could not help but wonder… Well, it was an interesting line of thought, nonetheless; one that provided quite a bit of amusement all around.

Doctor Halsey herself was positively overjoyed with the union between the Spartan and the former Artificial Intelligence. John had been the closest thing to a son for her, and despite how she had come into existence, she still considered Cortana to be her daughter, especially now that they shared the same DNA. In the past, the doctor had felt great regret over the burdens that she felt she had given them, and for so long had tried to make it up for them. Even after the events where she had been labelled a war criminal and a traitor by ONI, she still attempted to find a way to atone for those she considered her children.

But all of that was in the past, and Catherine had been able to make peace with her demons. She had helped Cortana become human, and also mended the rifts with Miranda, allowing her to forge strong relationships with both of her daughters, whom she was immensely proud of. And now John had become an official part of the family. Though she was an atheist, the good doctor sometimes felt as though she had been blessed.

And of course, this provided her with another base from which to tease John and Cortana, asking them if they would be providing her with grandchildren any time soon. This embarrassed the couple to no end, even more so when Miranda joined in, asking when she would have any nieces or nephews to spoil. John and Cortana also suspected that the other Spartan IIs – Fred, Kelly and Linda – would be playing aunts and uncle to any of their future children.

But for now, it was all about the happy couple enjoying their honeymoon.

"So, what were you thinking just now?" John asked lightly.

Cortana glanced up at her husband. "What makes you think I'm thinking about anything? How do you know I'm not just enjoying the scenery?"

John gave a small laugh that she easily felt due to her back being placed against his chest. "Because I know you too well," he pointed out. "I know that you've always got something ticking over in that brilliant mind of yours. It's rare for you to simply take some time to smell the roses. You're a lot like your mother in that regard."

Cortana could not help but roll her eyes and give a small laugh of her own. It was true that Dr Catherine Halsey was just like he described, and since the former AI was so much like her creator, then it was understandable that they would share those kinds of traits.

"True," she admitted. "Well, I guess I'm doing both, really. I'm enjoying the scenery and remembering all that we went through to get here. And how just a few years ago, this would have seemed impossible." She sighed. "Just a few years, and yet it seems like a lifetime ago."

"I know what you mean," John agreed, placing a loving kiss on his wife's head. "The wars, the Halos, Requiem, all of it seems like it happened so long ago, and some of it was only a few years back. I guess it's just a matter of perspective. But speaking of which, there has always been one thing that mattered so much to me in that regard."

Cortana looked up at the Spartan, her eyebrow raised in mild curiosity. She actually had an idea as to where John's train of thought was going, but she let him continue nonetheless.

"As a soldier, I was always taught to keep things in perspective, no matter the situation. The mission, my squad, the survival of humanity; all of that was meant to be kept in mind when I was doing my missions, and if any were compromised, then I felt like I had let them down in a way.

"But a few years ago, something entered my life which changed everything. Something which altered my perspective forever." He gazed into Cortana's bright blue eyes. "That 'something' was you, Cortana. You were my friend, partner and companion in so many ways that I cannot begin to count them all. I think it was on the Ark, when I had to fight through hordes of Flood on High Charity to retrieve you that I realised how truly important you were. Not just to humanity or the UNSC, but to me personally. Even after I thought I'd lost you on the Composer and what happened afterwards…" he trailed off here, as if suddenly overcome with emotion, but managed to find his voice again.

"From that moment on, my perspective was focused on you, Cortana. The mission, defeating our enemies; all of it became second tier, and no longer mattered so much to me, especially if I had been in a position where I could not have save you." He quirked his mouth upward in a slight smile. "I suppose many psychologists would consider me to have been 'emotionally compromised'. That's probably true, I guess, but I also wouldn't have cared. If I could have been with you, then I would have gladly been emotionally compromised. To me, you are the centre of my universe, and that is how I want to be for the rest of my life."

Whenever John went on tangents like this, Cortana found that all she could do was listen to him with her heart in her mouth, emotion welling up inside her being. It amazed her to no end how this man, who had known only war and bloodshed for as long as he could remember, who was unbelievably ferocious on the battlefield, and who stood as a symbol of hope for all of his allies and fear for his enemies, was capable of such love and devotion for her and her alone. She had heard him say this several times now, but it never ceased to make her feel overcome with emotion.

Turning around so that she was facing him, Cortana said nothing, but instead reached up to wrap her slender arms around his muscular neck, and pulled him down for a long and passionate kiss. The Spartan responded by looping his arms around her waist and holding her even closer. The strength in those limbs would have been more than enough to lift a heavy object or maybe even yank someone else's arm clean out of its socket, but when holding Cortana, he did so with such care and tenderness. It was almost like he perceived her as being made of glass and he was afraid of damaging her in any way, though she had long since proven herself tougher than most people gave her credit for.

Pulling apart, Cortana smiled up at her new husband. "You always know how to make a girl feel special."

John smiled back. "Well, not any girl, just you. But then, you've always been special to me."

Cortana continued to relish in the warm feelings that John was giving her, and as she did so, she gave a quick glance out over the waves. At the moment, the tide was relatively low, so only a few small waves were being seen. After first becoming human, such a thought would have terrified her for the simple reason that she did not know how to swim; AIs had no physical form, after all. But once becoming an organic, she decided to take up several forms of physical activity, mostly out of a need to stay in shape. One of them was swimming, and though she was far from the kind of experience of an Olympic athlete, she nonetheless enjoyed it. So right now, the waves looked rather inviting.

Pulling away from John, the former AI headed in the direction of the water. "You know what, John? I feel like a bit of a swim right now."

"Really?" the Spartan responded lightly. "Are you sure those lessons have paid off? I mean, this is our honeymoon, and I don't want to have to be forced into saving you from drowning, or from sharks." Despite the supposed seriousness of his words, Cortana knew full well that he was only being humorous. It was a trait that many would not have equated with the Master Chief, or any of the Spartans, come to that. But his physical relationship with his former AI, now his wife, had definitely changed that for the better.

"You know there are no sharks in this area, John," Cortana admonished him playfully. "And the tide's low, so I'm not likely to get caught in a current or anything like that." As she did this, she removed her sarong, and then carefully took off her wedding ring, wrapping it in the bunched-up fabric of the sarong for safekeeping before placing this bundle down on the sand. "Besides, if I do get in trouble, I've got a big strong man to rescue me."

"Is that so?" John returned in an equally playful tone before crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, I think I might need just a little bit more convincing than that." Cortana knew that he was baiting her, but that was one of the reasons as to why their relationship was so much fun these days. It kept things exciting and allowed them to surprise each other in unexpected ways.

Keeping her back to him, Cortana looked out over the inviting blue ocean and, acting as casually as possible, she reached her hands behind her back to the knot holding her bikini top in place. Tugging the thread, the knot came undone, and she pulled the garment off over her head, allowing the D-sized mounds of her breasts to bounce free. She sighed in pleasure as she felt the warm air caress her naked flesh, and though John could not see her front, Cortana knew that her actions would right now be arousing him, just like it always did.

Reaching down, she hooked her thumbs into the bottom half of her bikini and slowly pulled them down; an act designed to further pique the Spartan's interest, and she simply knew that this would have succeeded in its aim. Placing the two pieces of white fabric on the ground next to her bunched-up sarong, Cortana glanced quickly over her shoulder at John. Though the look she gave him was only a couple of seconds in length, it was enough for her to register the gazed lust-filled look in his eyes.

"You coming?" she asked playfully before casually walking her nude form into the surf.

John waited only an extra second before making his own move. Easing off his own wedding band, he placed it in the pocket of his shorts for its own safekeeping, then pulled these garments and the swimwear underneath down his legs. Leaving these on the sand next to Cortana's discarded attire, he strode his own naked form into the water. When he was waist high, he dove under the waves and swam after his wife.

The next few minutes were all about John, Cortana and the big blue ocean in which they now frolicked. Most of the time was spent on the surface, where they swam around each other, occasionally splashing each other and laughing joyfully. Not surprisingly, most of this was done by Cortana. Her playful attitude had been a trademark of her behaviour even back when she was still an AI, but now that she was a human, she was able to revel in such things even more. A lot of people may have perceived this as being a tad childish, but Cortana was someone who had only been flesh and blood for a much shorter time than most, so the ability of being able to experience life in this manner was still a wonder to her.

John suspected that Cortana would still be amazed by these things for quite some time into the future, if not forever, but that did not bother him in the least. It was one of the many traits that reminded him just how much he truly loved her, and there was not a day that went by when he was not grateful to have her in his life.

During the swimming, there were times when the couple would hold their breaths and dive beneath the surface. John had no trouble in this area, since the Spartan training had allowed him to get experience in it. Sure, the all-encompassing armour may have allowed him to breathe fine underwater or even in the vacuum of space, but the military still preferred its soldiers to be at optimal fitness levels.

Being a former AI, Cortana had never needed to worry with breathing, simply for the fact that she did not have lungs. Becoming a human, this was one of the first things that she needed to get used to, and when she had decided to take up swimming lessons, she had trouble at first, as most people would have. But gradually she learnt how to control her breathing and hold her breath for periods of time, which made underwater swimming easier and more enjoyable.

Those lessons had clearly paid off. As she and John swam around each other, she could not help feeling a sense of wonder. To experience something like this with a person who meant more to her than life itself seemed positively surreal. If anything, it reminded her of the time when she had John had been stuck on that Pelican drop ship in orbit about a year earlier. The long wait had gotten on their nerves, so Cortana decided to alleviate their boredom by turning off the gravity and floating around the cabin in weightlessness for a while. The sheer sensation of it all had gotten to the couple, and they ended up making love in the zero gravity. They had yet to repeat that particular encounter, but this came pretty damn close.

At one point during the swimming, John came up behind Cortana and wrapped his left arm around her midsection, holding her close. After quickly warning her to take a deep breath, the Spartan dove underwater, taking the former AI with him beneath the waves. Letting her body relax, Cortana allowed John to do the swimming for the both of them, making powerful strokes with his free right hand and holding her close to him with his left arm, guiding their naked bodies through the transparent blue surf. It was a situation which Cortana felt was incredibly intimate, and more than a little erotic. Seeing the wonder of the world beneath the waves, the two lovers together with their naked forms practically as one as they moved through the water… it was moments like this made Cortana realise how truly wonderful it was to be alive, and to have someone to share that life with.

Breaching the surface, the couple inhaled deeply, filling their lungs with fresh oxygen. The pair never relinquished their hold on each other, although Cortana did turn her body around so that she was looking into John's eyes again. Wrapping her arms around the Spartan's muscular neck, she drew him close for a deep and passionate kiss. She savoured all of the sensations, from the salty tang of the seawater, to the familiar taste that she experienced every time her lips joined with his. To her, that taste was purely _John_, and there was nothing sweeter or more tantalising.

John felt the same way towards Cortana. Even back when she had just been an AI occupying the slot in the back of his helmet, she always seemed to bring a certain warmth with her. Whenever she was not inside his armour, it always felt somewhat emptier than before. Yet, even when she manifested her avatar nearby, like on a pedestal, that emptiness seemed to lessen a great deal. As long as she was around in some form, the Master Chief had felt complete in a way that many people would not have understood. A lot of people had perceived him as being a cold, methodical and completely emotionless killing machine, but that was simply because they had seen him by himself. Not many people saw him with Cortana, but those who did saw another side of him open up, and it didn't take a genius to realise that it was because of her.

When the Chief had defeated the Didact on the Composer above Earth, when Cortana had seemingly died, he had felt as though a part of him had died also. It felt like some part of John's very essence, something that made him who he was, had gone away and would never come back. He had never said it out loud to anybody, not even himself, but that was the moment when he realised how much Cortana had truly meant to him.

For a time after that, John had been living practically on autopilot; simply going on whatever missions were asked of him, killing one enemy after another, doing his piece to save humanity and whatnot. But his heart had not been in it anymore. A piece of his heart had died along with Cortana, and nothing would ever bring it back. Part of him no longer even cared if the entire human race was wiped out; as far as he was concerned, it was not even worth saving if Cortana was not there anymore. He had kept a chain around his neck, and on it was the chip that she had inhabited as an AI. This hung close to his heart, which belonged to her, as far as he was concerned.

But circumstances had allowed Cortana to return to life. Not only that, but she was able to become a flesh-and-blood human being, and although it took a while for the two of them to act on their feelings, it eventually happened. Now here they were, husband and wife, practically as one while they swam in the currents of the blue ocean, alongside the beach where they were honeymooning.

Every now and then, John felt the need to pinch himself, just to make sure that he was not merely having some wonderful dream. And he knew that Cortana – his _wife_ – did the same thing as well.

With each kiss the couple gave each other, they felt their desires begin to build. At the same time, beneath the water's surface, their hands had once more started to touch and caress each other's flesh, stoking the fires which were gaining momentum. Both John and Cortana mused briefly on how ironic it was that the water was doing nothing to cool them down from the heat which they were feeling. As they looked into each other's eyes, the Spartan and former AI had the same thought between them: _I want you badly right now!_

John and Cortana both swam in the direction of the beach as fast as they could manage, the sudden sheer desire that each of them felt providing them the strength they needed. Not surprisingly, John made it there first, his military training and Spartan augmentations meaning that he was probably capable of outswimming all but the most experienced of Olympic-class swimmers. He stood on the beach, just outside the edge of the surf line and close to the spot where they had left their discarded clothing, with nothing covering him except for a layer of seawater that continued to sluice and drip off his muscular form. His manhood had already begun to harden in anticipation.

Cortana emerged from the water moments later, noticeably less graceful than how John had done it, but no less turned on from their frolicking in the waves. Her hair was plastered down to her head in an unbelievably gorgeous way, and the water flowed over the curves of her figure; dripping off the underside of her bountiful breasts, and down her toned stomach and legs. The sheer sight of this only served to turn John on even more than he already was.

Not wanting to waste a second, Cortana walked quickly up to the Spartan and, at the last second, practically leapt into his arms. This action caused him to fall back onto the sand, his gorgeous wife ending up on top of him, once more locking their lips together in a passionate kiss.

After a few seconds, John pulled his lips away from Cortana's and began to move down her neck, trailing kisses along the way. She let out a soft sigh as her husband did this, her fingers holding the back of his head and practically tangling themselves in his hair. In the past, he had usually kept it cut short, as was common in the military, but over the past couple of months he had let it grow. She guessed this was just another way how he had continued to loosen up over the course of their relationship.

As John continued with his kissing down Cortana's neck, he savoured the experience, right down to the taste of saltwater that continued to cling to her skin. For so long, this beautiful woman had been without a physical form, and he had experienced this unusual and unfathomable desire to simply _touch_ her, never mind the fact that she was simply a hologram. But now that she was flesh and blood… well, he simply could not get enough of her.

Finally reaching her breasts, John ran his lips across the curvaceous mounds and flicked his tongue over the sensitive flesh of her nipples, eliciting the desired reaction from Cortana. Above him, the former AI bucked and squirmed involuntarily as she felt jolts of pleasure course through her being. Her sighs lengthened into moans, and she looked down at her husband, her bright blue eyes now clouded with pure desire.

John's eyes looked back up at Cortana, and she could see reflected in them a longing that matched what she now felt inside her very being. Foreplay between the two of them was almost always as exciting as the intimacy itself, with the only difference being how long they allowed it. And through that shared glance, the couple knew that they had both had enough of it in this instance, and could not wait any longer.

Positioning herself over John's manhood, now firmly hardened, Cortana felt the tip of it ease into her opening, and she lowered herself down, feeling the solid shaft slide into her. Letting out a moan, she stayed still for a couple of seconds while she felt the initial pleasurable shock subside. Although the two of them had now made love so many times that they had long since lost count – Cortana insisted that it was probably getting close to a hundred by now – the amount of ecstasy that they both felt with every occasion was so extreme it was practically mind-blowing.

While Cortana lay on top of him, with his organ inside her, John slowly ran his hands down her form, starting at her large breasts, moving down her toned sides, and coming to cup her ass cheeks. Looking up at his wife and the expression of bliss on her face, John could simply tell these simple touches were adding to her pleasure. He had never thought that he would be capable of eliciting such a response from someone, but Cortana had always managed to do the same with him, so he had no reason to complain.

Almost tentatively, Cortana began to move her hips up and down the shaft of John's manhood. Starting slow at first, but gradually picking up momentum, she started to go faster, the sound of her flesh beginning to slap against his – both of them still damp from the seawater – spurring her on with her movements.

Below her, John felt the thrills of pleasure emanating from his lower regions to all the corners of his body. At the same time, he felt the sand beneath him shift every which way as it was moved around by the increasingly frenetic activity of the newlywed couple's intimate movements. During their first ever sexual experience, Cortana had been underneath, but had been on laying a towel, whereas right now, John had his bare back against the sand, and was experiencing the rough friction caused by their actions. It was almost like sandpaper, but the Spartan did not mind in the least. He had endured much worse, and besides, his current intimacy with his new wife more than made up for it.

On top of the Spartan, Cortana persisted with her bounces against him, feeling his hardened organ slide in and out of her moistened opening, rubbing against the walls and nerve endings, sending jolts of ecstasy coursing through her being. Back when she had still been an Artificial Intelligence, she would never have even considered that a moment like this would be in her future. And yet, in the years when she was looking over John on the ruins of the _Forward Unto Dawn_, something in her had changed, making her see the world in an entirely different light forever. Now the two of them were joined together in a way that she would never even think of experiencing with anybody else.

Allowing her bouncing to slow to a firm but steady pace, Cortana looked down at her husband, taking in the handsome and animalistic look, the roughness of his features hewn by years of combat, and the lust glazing over his eyes; a look that she knew she was mirroring. Feeling John's hands making their way back up her form, Cortana felt thrills of pleasure at every place that his fingers touched; the almost-tickling sensation making her feel as though her very flesh was burning with desire.

John's hands finally came to rest on Cortana's breasts, cupping the generous mounds, as he often did when the two of them were in this particular sexual position. Not that she was complaining or anything; she never would. John's very touch made her feel alive, and feeling it on the sensitive flesh of her breasts positively made her head spin.

Keeping up with her bouncing, Cortana quickly began to feel the familiar sensation manifesting itself in the core of her being. Almost at the same time, John's pleasurable grunts began to shift and take on a different tone. This was a sign that he was getting close to his own release as well. It was amazing that neither of them really needed to say anything to let the other one know what they were feeling. If anything, it was an indication of the deep bond that the Spartan and the former Artificial Intelligence shared; almost as if the two of them were the same entity, capable of feeling what the other was feeling, right down to the sexual aspect of it. Naturally, this made their lovemaking so much more intimate.

Lowering her form down so that it was almost pressed up against his, Cortana captured John's lips in another deep and passionate kiss. At the same time, he moved his hands from her breasts back down to her hips, where he assisted her with her continued thrusting; pulling her onto his shaft, then pushing her almost off before pulling again.

John and Cortana gently pulled apart from their kiss. They locked their eyes and never broke contact as they continued to push themselves and each other ever closer to their shared climax. Their bodies were so close, but not touching, save for down at their hips where she continued to slide herself up and down his pole, and for her breasts gently pressing against his chest. The sound of the waves crashing against the sand echoed around them as they came closer and closer…

As one, John and Cortana reached their orgasms at the same time. She threw her head back and let out a cry as she felt her muscles contract and her womanhood tighten, letting out a slight squirt of liquid around his shaft. At the same time, he grunted loudly and thrust into her one last time, burying himself to the hilt and releasing a stream of hot liquid deep inside her. The shared euphoria overtook them both and for a few seconds, it was almost like they had left their bodies behind, floating on a cloud of pure ecstasy.

Coming down from this, Cortana felt her body slump against John's on the sand. At the same time, he relaxed noticeably, wrapping his arms around his wife's slightly quivering form. The couple stayed this way for a couple of minutes, just letting themselves enjoy the afterglow of their latest lovemaking session.

Through the haze of her euphoria, Cortana felt herself dimly thinking that it was a good thing they were on an isolated beach with nobody around for several kilometres. The last thing she wanted was anybody spying on the two of them, especially when they were engaged in such an intimate and private activity.

It was John who finally broke the silence that had settled upon them. "You know what, Cortana?"

Cortana managed to lift her head up and look at her husband. Though his expression was largely neutral, his eyes danced with mirth. "What, John?" she asked.

"This kind of reminds me of the first time we had sex. That was on the beach, remember?"

Cortana simply laughed at this, and John was easily drawn into it.

* * *

**Like I said earlier, this was meant to be a two-parter, but due to time constraints (which were essentially self-imposed, I have to admit) I'm putting up this first part now and I'll write and post the last part later on. Since it is tied into this, it will also be on this beach.**

**And it will also be the final chapter. We're on the home stretch here, my friends!**

**And I am REALLY sorry that I keep you guys waiting! Of the Seven Deadly Sins, the one I am most guilty of would be Sloth.**

**By the way, with the part with Cortana taking off her bikini, I was inspired by a film in which the starring woman did the same thing before wading into the surf. That woman also happened to be British model Kelly Brook, who, in my opinion, is one of the most unbelievably gorgeous women on the planet! And just happens to be currently dating one of my favourite action stars, Jason Statham! Lucky bugger!**

**Anyway, I hope this was hot enough for you all, and I will try to get the final chapter up soon enough.**


	15. At the Sunset

**And here it is, ladies and gentlemen; the final sensational chapter of my 'On the Beach' fanfic. Like I said, this was meant to be one longer chapter combined with the previous one, but I decided to split them up at the last second. And due to laziness on my part, I took my sweet time in writing and posting this one. My apologies for that, but better late than never, right?**

* * *

**At the Sunset**

A gentle nudging roused Cortana from her light doze. Cracking open her bright blue eyes, she smiled up at her husband as he stood there with a wine glass in each hand, both of which were filled with a sparkling transparent liquid, slightly off-white in colour.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I must have dozed off."

John chuckled slightly. "Must have been the swimming that wore you out," he quipped, "along with that little lovemaking session afterwards." Cortana laughed at this, then pushed herself up off the seat. She was stretched out across a long, cushioned lounge wide enough to up to seat two or three people. This was located on the front porch of the beach house where they were spending their honeymoon. It allowed a person to relax outdoors with the sound of the waves crashing and the smell of the salty air waft around.

Cortana pushed herself up enough for John to sit down next to her. He leaned up against the edge of the lounge, and she in turn leaned against his muscular frame. As she did so, the former Artificial Intelligence graciously accepted the wine glass offered to her by her husband. They gently clinked their glasses together, then each took a sip.

Looking out at the waves, Cortana noticed that the sun was starting to set. It had only been mid-afternoon when she had lain down on the lounge, but obviously she had been sleeping for at least a couple of hours, as dusk had now set in. Their beach house was facing to the east, so the sun had set behind them, creating shadows that slowly stretched across the sands. There was still a small amount of sunlight, but John had taken the liberty of lighting a few candles and lamps, allowing the flickering of the open flames to provide further illumination. This seemed to make the scene even more romantic.

Sipping her wine again, Cortana snuggled further against John's chest. The Spartan was wearing only a simple pair of board shorts and white T-shirt that stretched over his muscular frame. Leaning her head down on his chest, the former AI felt and heard the dull thudding of his heart. It was a very soothing noise for her.

Cortana herself was wearing another bikini set, consisting of top and bottom parts, and over this, she wore a loose shirt of light blue material. It was a look often seen on so-called beach babes; a look that Cortana obviously had no trouble in pulling off.

Of course, it had been a chance encounter on a beach when the former AI was wearing much less than this – nothing at all, in fact – that had started the relationship between her and John. She liked to think that they might have ended up here anyway, but the exact method in which it did happen suited her just fine, and she knew that John felt the same. There was no reason for either of them to complain whatsoever.

"It's so peaceful here," John said quietly.

"I know," Cortana agreed, taking another sip of her white wine.

"It's a far cry from the battlefield, that's for sure," John added. "No guns and bombs going off, no aliens trying to take my head off. No, it's just the two of us; me and my special girl."

His wife looked back up at him. "You _always_ make me feel like a special girl."

He looked down at her and shot back a playful response. "Oh, but I don't need to try hard, because you _are_ a special girl."

Their banter continued back and forth a few more times before they finally brought it to an end by bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss. They both managed to hold their glasses away from them, upright, so that they did not spill any of the liquid while their lips and tongues made a little dance around each other. After a while, they broke their lip lock and settled back into their previous comfortable position, continuing to drink their wine.

For a couple of minutes, they simply sat there, in a tender embrace, merely taking enjoyment from their closeness with each other, and watching as the low tide waves crashed softly against the shore in the ever-increasing darkness. Neither of them said a word, not wanting to break the moment.

Cortana let out a gentle sigh and leaned her head against John's chest once again, feeling and hearing the sound of his heartbeat. To her, it was one of the most wondrous sounds in existence. Sometimes, when she was having trouble sleeping, John would hold her close, and she would place her head against his chest, just like she was doing now. The dull thudding of his heart beating always soothed her, and served to lull her to sleep. Right now, however, she willed herself to stay awake, so that she could enjoy this moment with her husband.

She remembered the first time she experienced her own heart beating. Having previously been an Artificial Intelligence whose physical appearance amounted to little more than a hologram – and a transparent one without mass, at that – she had never actually felt anything in the manner that so many people were accustomed to, and the very experience was absolutely amazing to her.

Shortly after awakening in her new body for the first time, Cortana had experienced many new sensations that she never felt before. She felt her eyes, which she had never used before, adjusting to the brightness and recognising the shapes before them for the first time. She experienced the rough dry feeling in her throat, realising it was thirst, and graciously drinking water; the first time she tasted anything. The feelings produced by the nerves in her hands and fingers as they touched things for the first time ever, experiencing pleasure and a little bit of pain, hot and cold, and so much more.

But what stood out for Cortana more than anything was the moment when she became aware of a dull thudding sensation in her chest, just to the left of her sternum. At first she was puzzled as to what it was, until she realised that it was her heart beating. The simple sensation that she felt from this was one that many people tended to take for granted, as it was nothing new to them, but for Cortana, who had never felt it before in her existence, it was positively amazing. It was a reaffirmation that she was _alive_.

That muscle within her chest had beaten steadily ever since she opened her electric blue eyes for the very first time. And – Cortana grinned as she thought this – it did tend to beat much quicker whenever she and John made love!

"What's so funny?"

Cortana looked up at John as he asked this question. Apparently, the grin on her face had not gone unnoticed by him, and he figured that something was amusing her. It came as no surprise that he picked up on this. Spartans were well known for their highly intuitive nature and keen observational skills. More than once, Cortana had even remarked that he would make a great detective, should he ever choose to retire from the UNSC military. Of course, she also knew that was highly unlikely; Spartans were pretty much soldiers for life.

"Oh, I'm just reminiscing," she replied casually. "You know, about when I first became human, when we first got together…"

"Yeah, about that," John cut in, his tone offset by the grin on his face, "I was just thinking, actually. You do realise that most couples usually go through a process: they go on dates, start a relationship, and usually _wait_ before they start having sex. I think we may have done things a little bit out of order…" he let the sentence hang, instead taking pleasure from the sound of Cortana's laughing.

It took a few seconds before his wife managed to calm herself down enough to talk, but her eyes still flashed with uncontained mirth. "Yes, we did do things a bit differently, John," she practically chuffed, then paused again to continue laughing. Her husband could not help getting drawn into it. Not wanting to spill the remainder of his wife, he set it down on the table next to him. Cortana, on the other hand, continued to hold hers close to her chest while she kept guffawing with laughter.

Finally, the former AI calmed down enough and smiled broadly at the Spartan, who returned it. She took a deep breath and then let it out before saying anything. "We've had a very good run together, haven't we, John?"

"Indeed, we have," he replied, gently pulling her close to his frame once more. Cortana let herself be pulled into his embrace again, allowing him to take her wine glass and set it on the table next to his own. "We've been through so much, and I cannot think of anyone else with whom I would much rather share my adventures and experiences. You've been with me through the Halos, the Ark, Requiem, and so much more. I thought I lost you forever on the Composer, and when that happened I felt like I had lost a vital part of myself." The Spartan's eyes became distant and troubled for an instant, but they reverted back to their more positive state almost right away.

"But I found you again," he continued, "and I am not letting you go so easily. Sure, I will admit that I was kind of dragging my feet with you after you became human, but what matters to me – to us – is that we're here together now."

Cortana beamed up at him. "And to think that our relationship finally got started thanks to one day on the beach. A day when I decided to go sunbathing, and you went for a run." She giggled. "You wonder what might have happened had our paths not crossed that day?"

John thought for a moment. "A little," he admitted, "but not too much. To be honest, I suspect that we would have gotten together eventually. If anything, we might have taken things a bit slower."

At this, Cortana let out another guffaw. "Probably," she snorted. "But at least we found out early on that we were… sexually compatible." John rolled his eyes at this blatant comment, but Cortana still caught a trace of amusement in them.

"Anyway," John continued, attempting to steer the topic back on track, "I cannot imagine a better person for me to be with." He looked back down at his new wife and fixed her with a look that was both firm, yet conveyed a lifetime of love and devotion to her. When he spoke again, his tone of voice was lower, much softer. It was not unlike the tone he used when he found her on the devastated High Charity, where he had waded through swarms of Flood to rescue her.

"You complete me, Cortana. I know many people would consider it kind of cheesy and lame, but that's how I feel whenever it comes to you. And I don't care how they might think. Some philosophers and religions claim that two people who are truly meant to be together – soul mates – are not even two complete entities. They are, in fact, two halves of one singular soul, and they are destined to journey back towards each other."

John looked at his wife with a firm and loving gaze. "It may have taken me years before I realised it, but I can remember the exact date that I found my other half. It was the 29th of August, 2552."

Cortana remembered that date with perfect clarity. It had been on Reach, shortly before the planet had been glassed by the Covenant. John had been called upon to test some new technology that he and his fellow Spartans had stolen from the enemy. This had been the shields utilised by the Kig-Yar – Jackals – in combat. Doctor Halsey, in all her scientific brilliance, had adapted the tech and then improved it, allowing for a more advanced variant of it to encompass the MJOLNIR armour, enabling the Spartans to be better protected and more efficient in battle.

John had been the one selected to test this new ability. To assist him with the task, he had also been given another upgrade; an integrated computer slot implanted in the back of his neck, whereupon a chip inhabited by an Artificial Intelligence could be inserted, and the sentient program would be given the opportunity to interface with the systems of the MJOLNIR armour at will.

That AI had, of course, been Cortana. Her attitude, which managed to be both stubborn and carefree at the same time, had won him over almost immediately, and they had proven to be a highly effective team even on that very first day. They had been put through a training exercise, with their objectives being to simply ring a bell. Placed in their way had been a squad of UNSC Marines, but one of the people behind the whole thing – an unlikeable bastard by the name of Colonel Ackerson, who seemed to hold a serious grudge against Doctor Halsey and the Spartans – had upped the stakes by throwing in Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, heavy calibre machine guns, and even a damned airstrike! By all odds, John and Cortana were not meant to have survived that!

But they did. They had worked together efficiently, and in the end, they managed to pass the test on Ackerson's terms, letting him know that even his best was not good enough to topple them. And as payback, Cortana had even hacked into the Colonel's accounts and tampered with it, making it look as though he had spent large amounts of money at a brothel; an act sure to set his wife's temper through the roof.

Nowadays, it was easy enough to laugh at such memories, seeing as the danger had long since passed. But Cortana had made a promise to herself that nothing would harm John as long as she had something to do about it.

"Oh, yes," Cortana said. "I remember that date very well. Although it could be said that I found my soul mate a few days earlier – the 25th, I believe – because that was the day that Mum asked me to choose my Spartan." Here, she was referring to Doctor Catherine Halsey, the brilliant and influential scientist who had given her life; first as an AI, then as a human being whose body was cloned from her DNA.

"I know the story," John replied. "She asked you to choose, and out of all the Spartans you could have worked with, you picked me, because you thought that I was lucky. But, for the record, you still didn't actually meet me until the 29th, so I think it should be said that that was the official day of our meeting."

Cortana rolled her eyes. "Fair enough. But yes, I remember that date all too well. That bastard Ackerson practically threw half a division at you, and seemed like he was not the slightest bit bothered by the possibility of killing you, all in order to settle a grudge he had with my mother." She sighed. "And to think that our objective was simply to ring a lousy bell!"

John grunted. "Tell me about it. Still, that bastard's dead now, so we don't have to worry about him anymore. We survived that test, and everything else that came our way afterwards." His voice softened again. "Soul mates who are meant to be together manage to do so no matter what obstacles get placed before them. And I think it is fair to say that our obstacles were probably bigger than those dealt with by most other people; alien warriors, deadly parasites, ancient warlords driven by revenge, and the like. Even some of our own species have not always been on the same page as us."

"Like ONI," Cortana commented.

"Especially those guys," John agreed. The Office of Naval Intelligence had a mandate of protecting and advancing the UNSC at all cost, no matter the cost. Though they had a large part in the creation of the Spartan program, they also seemed to hold a large degree of prejudice against many associated with it, including against John and Cortana. At one point, they even issued an assassination order against Doctor Halsey herself! John and Cortana had found themselves at odds with the unscrupulous organisation on more than one occasion, enough so that, even though this was no longer the case, the Spartan and former AI had decided that they would never fully trust ONI again.

John continued with what he was saying. "Anyway, even with all that has been thrown our way, you are still with me, Cortana. You have taken many forms over the years; Artificial Intelligence, human being, my partner, and now my wife, but you have never once abandoned me willingly. Just like I will never abandon you." He pulled her closer into his embrace. "When I think of all that we have been through over the years, what we have faced together, all the enemies we fought against, and how close we came to losing it all on more than one occasion… I look and see that you are still here with me; as if you truly are the other half of my soul, just like those philosophers would claim. When I think of that, it makes me believe that you were right all those years ago; that I truly am lucky."

Cortana did not say anything. She simply lay there, pressed up against his muscled chest, his arms wrapped around her frame, looking up with her bright blue eyes at his face, and listening to every word he said. These were words that many people would have not associated with a Spartan, or any other fearsome soldier, come to that, but Cortana had been privileged to hear them; she was the only person who ever would, and it was one of the reasons as to why he made her feel special.

Attempting to say something, the former AI felt the words being blocked in her throat; what her husband was saying had caused a welling up of emotion inside her, and this had left a slight choking sensation in her throat. She clearly her throat quietly before attempting to speak again.

"You have always been lucky," she said, her voice quivering with the emotion she was feeling. "It's a vital part of what makes you who you are. It's how you managed to survive when many people around you did not, and your strength allowed you to carry on even when you could have given up. It's one of the reasons why I chose you all those years ago. And it's one of the reasons why I started to develop feelings for you, even when I was still an AI.

"When I was on my own, mostly on High Charity or after the Composer, I started to believe that the reason why I managed to survive when I should not have was because of luck; that in some way, your own luck had rubbed off on me. The time after we parted on the Composer, when I told you that I wouldn't be coming with you, I was ready to accept my death. But somehow, I managed to hold on. Even though I was greatly damaged, I survived, and started my journey back home. Back to you, John. I have no way of proving for certain, but I believe that the reason why I managed to come through it all was because of your luck. It had become mine, and it eventually lead me back to you.

"Who knows? Maybe it was even luck that brought our paths together that day on the beach where we made love for the first time. I guess we'll never truly know. But one thing I do know for certain is this: being with you makes me feel lucky, John, and I cannot imagine any other life for me that does not have you in it. That philosophical stuff about soul mates being two halves of the same soul? Well, I'm with my other half right now, and that's what matters to me."

John kept quiet while Cortana said her piece, and when she was finished, he was silent for a few seconds, then a smile slowly broke out on his face. "I could not have said it any better, Cortana." He pulled her close, and gently touched his lips to hers again.

The kiss was soft at first, but slowly became more passionate. Cortana had her hands resting on John's chest, and as the passion increased, they began roaming around a little, and even slipping in slightly under the fabric of his T-shirt. Similarly, John's own hands, calloused from years of warfare, started to gently travel across Cortana's back, reaching down to cup her ass cheeks.

During a break in their making out, the couple simply looked into each other's eyes. Over the years, they had developed such a close bond with each other, the roots of which lay in the fact that Cortana originally occupied an AI chip inserted into the back of John's helmet. Now, the two of them needed to only look at each other to know exactly what thoughts were passing through the other's mind. At the moment, they mirrored sheer desires of need and wanting; the kind which came from intimacy between two people, the feelings of which being much more intense if they shared a special bond like the Spartan and the former Artificial Intelligence possessed.

Without a word, the loving couple practically jumped out of their seats, and rushed inside. The wine glasses, still mostly full of the alcoholic beverage, forgotten as husband and wife headed straight for the bedroom.

* * *

Acting almost as if on autopilot, John and Cortana made their way through the rooms and hallways of the beach house, heading for the bedroom, kissing, holding, stroking each other in the process, never once completely breaking contact. It was as if their very movements were in perfect synchronisation, allowing them to move as one entity; a bond that had been birthed the moment when the AI had first been inserted into the Spartan's helmet and had only gotten stronger with each passing day. Though they were now two different physical forms, they still moved and acted as one; a bond many would have considered themselves lucky to have.

Upon arrival in the bedroom, still locked in a passionate kiss, John and Cortana began removing each other's clothing; an act they did with obviously practised ease. Her soft and gentle hands divested him of his board shorts and T-shirt, followed by his briefs, leaving his muscled and scarred form bare. At the same time, his calloused and firm hands managed to gently strip off her flowing shirt, followed by the top piece of her light blue bikini, and lastly, the bottom half, revealing her curvaceous and feminine body. They paused briefly in their lip lock when they needed to remove a piece of garment, but resumed immediately after wards. Within a minute, both were completely nude.

Despite the differences in height, they hardly stopped with their passionate kissing. Cortana tilted her head up and wrapped her slender yet strong arms around his neck, pulling him down to her slightly, and John bending down to lavish kisses upon her lips, face and neck. Some people might have had mild complaints about this – particularly a man in John's position, as he had to bend down rather low to kiss Cortana – but the Spartan and the former Artificial Intelligence would never have thought even for a second about complaining; the bond that the two of them shared ran far too deep for that, and they had been through so much simply to be together at this moment.

Holding his wife at her waist, John pulled her upward, lifting her off her feet with ease, as if she weighed practically nothing. Cortana loved it when he did this. In a way it reminded her of how the hero of a fairy tale would sweep the princess off her feet and carrying her away into the sunset. She pulled him in even closer, deepening the kiss and even allowing her tongue to push past his chapped lips, beginning a sensual dance with his own tongue.

Still holding her off the ground in an almost upright position, John carried Cortana over to the bed that they shared, laying her gently down on it. He did so with such care and gentleness that it seemed almost at odds with the ferocity of the various physical blows he had given his enemies on the battlefield. As he placed her down on the soft mattress and pillows, he never stopped bestowing kisses upon her lips and face.

As she felt the scintillating experiences given her by her husband, Cortana could not help letting out the occasional breathy moan. Quite often, it was her that would assume the 'dominant' position during their lovemaking; something that John was more than happy to let her do. It was a private joke between the two of them that, since she had originally been a holographic AI, Cortana had thus been deprived of the pleasures which came with the sensation of touch, and so when she had finally achieved a corporeal form, she wanted to indulge in it as often as possible, sometimes to the point of excess! Clearly, this included the fact how she effectively dominated John in many of their sexual encounters.

Of course, every now and then, the tables were turned, and Cortana felt herself being subjected to the whims of the Spartan as he took control during their intimacy, allowing him to inflict amazing sensations upon her body; sensations that more often than not left her writhing in pure ecstasy.

Perhaps, in the psychological sense, Cortana loved it so much when he did this because the very feelings that she experienced were a constant reminder that she was _alive_! No longer just an AI with a holographic avatar, but a flesh and blood human being with nerve endings that allowed her to revel in the euphoric sensations given to her. But also, the very fact that it was _John_ giving these feelings to her – her John, her Spartan, the one known as the Master Chief – somehow managed to make these experiences all the more special.

Cortana leaned her head back, practically inviting John to lavish attention upon her neck. He did so with vigour, laying down a trace of kisses, licks and the occasional nibble on the tender and sensitive flesh. This provoked the intended response from his wife; she gave a quick gasp of pleasure, which gave way to a low moan, and she instinctively brought one of her hands up to the back of John's head, massaging the hair-covered flesh of his scalp and practically pulling him in even deeper, encouraging him in his actions.

Spurred on, the Spartan persisted, moving downwards along the tender flesh of his wife's neck towards her chest, coming to Cortana's ever-impressive D-sized breasts. Continuing with his ministrations, he started at the base of her right breast, showering kisses, licks and nibbles upon the sensitive flesh of the mounds. While he did this, he used his free hand to gently grasp the left breast, rubbing and squeezing it. All of these actions elicited moans and groans from the former AI which increased in both volume and intensity. As John's mouth finally reached the nipple, Cortana's moans peaked and she gasped his name in a breathy tone. Within her being, she felt a spike of excitement, and felt the now-familiar rush of her orgasm approaching, but it subsided before she could reach the climax. Any disappointment she felt was short-lived, however, as her husband switched over to her left breast and started to give it the same attention he had bestowed upon the right one.

Like before, John licked and kissed his way along the sensitive flesh of Cortana's D-sized mound, starting at the base and gradually moving up to the top, never once breaking the intimate contact between his chapped lips and the smooth flesh of her breasts. Cortana's breathy moans inspired the Spartan and increased his own desires, urging him along with his actions. He reached her pert nipple, gently taking it into his mouth and massaging it with his lips, tongue and teeth. As he did this to her left breast, his free hand softly but firmly grasped and squeezing her right one, pinching the nipple and subjecting her to the same pleasure as before.

The familiar sensations that Cortana experienced only a minute or so previously returned, pushing her closer to her peak. She had been deprived her climax before, but the residual sensations had remained, so when John had started to administer his attention to her left breast in the same way as he had to her right, she was already well and truly aroused. Now, she felt herself being pushed closer and closer to her peak.

As the Spartan continued with his actions, the way that his wife's body reacted beneath him indicated she was reaching her peak. Thoroughly spurred on, he persisted with his actions; kissing and sucking her left nipple with his mouth, and kneading and pinching the right with his fingers, John listened as Cortana's breathing once more grew frantic and her moans became louder with each passing second. He sped up his pace with his actions.

Within seconds, Cortana's moans reached a crescendo, her breathing hitched, and her body gave a sudden jerk. Letting out a cry that sounded like something born out of pure ecstasy and bliss, the former AI began twitching and writhing as her orgasm washed over her body. John stopped what he was doing, and simply watched as his wife undulated in absolute pleasure; finding the sheer sight of it to be one of the most breathtakingly beautiful things he had ever seen.

Revelling in the euphoric sensations of her orgasm, Cortana felt her head spin and, for a brief moment, she thought she was going to pass out from the intense pleasure. It was something that had happened to her before – rarely, but still on more than one occasion. Whenever this occurred, she was only out for a few minutes at most, and was able to recover quickly. Still, she considered this to be one of the best things about being alive – if not _the best_ altogether – and only John would ever be able to do this to her.

This time around, Cortana managed to stay conscious, but her vision nonetheless became clouded with black spots, which slowly disappeared after a few seconds. Looking up at John leaning over her, his features were at first a blur, then became more defined as her vision cleared. He had stopped in his activities while she experienced her orgasm, and now waited for her to come back down off the peak of her ecstasy before doing anything else.

Without saying a word, John continued with his loving assault on Cortana's body. This time, he started just below her breasts, giving the flesh beneath them gentle kisses and licks that felt like soft tickles to the former AI. On many women, this was considered to be a rather sensitive bit of skin, and Cortana was clearly no exception; she gave off more gasps, followed by the occasional soft giggle, and her body began to squirm slightly in pleasure, acting almost independently from her mind.

Continuing with what he was doing, John moved down his wife's body. Hers was a physique that many women would have envied; slender and feminine, with hardly any fat and a definite undertone of muscle beneath the soft flesh of her abdomen. Right now, he was subjecting almost every inch of this to his whims, and the results had her squirming and gasping in absolute delight.

Proceeding further down Cortana's body, John paused briefly in order to gently dip the tip of his tongue into her belly button; an act that made her once more buck suddenly in unexpected pleasure. Smiling slightly at this, the Spartan continued further down, planting gentle kisses along the way, until he reached the tender folds of her womanhood. Stopping there, he started to tease the gentle and delicate flesh.

If John's previous ministrations had caused Cortana to writhe in ecstasy, what he was doing now made those earlier actions seem small by comparison. She felt as though she was in the most wondrous possible heaven imaginable, carried there by sensations inflicted upon her being by John. In battle, he took the fight to the enemy with a ferocious intensity, and now he subjected his wife to a level of absolute euphoria with much the same dedication and intent.

It was not long at all before Cortana felt the welling up of sensations inside her being once again, and her breathy moans quickened to the same frenetic pace that they had taken on only a minute earlier. Spurred on by her reactions, John sped up his movements; his licking and the actions of his hands and fingers within the sensitive folds of her flesh.

Her head starting to spin, Cortana simply let herself go; allowing her whole body to go limp, and her reactions continue in much the same manner as before, seemingly beyond any form of control on her part. Had her mind still been sharp enough to form coherent thoughts, Cortana may have felt there was a certain irony in that logic; when she was an Artificial Intelligence, control had been pretty much everything to her, and even after she became human, she still liked to maintain control in certain situations. Now, when John subjected her body to these whims, she more often than not felt like she was _losing_ control, particularly in relation as to what reactions her body was feeling… and she did not care in the slightest. All that mattered was her and John being together at that very moment.

Finally reaching her peak, Cortana felt herself being pushed over the top and her second orgasm swept over her body, just as intense as the first. She bucked and undulated like she did before, almost as if her physical form was acting on its own accord completely independent from her mind. Even through her intense euphoria, she could tell that John had pulled back momentarily in order to allow his wife a few moments to experience these wondrous sensations.

As Cortana came down from this, she felt her breath gradually slow until it reached its normal pace. Her head still spinning, she looked down at John, still positioned between her legs, now looking up at her with a small but knowing smile on his handsome face. Her strength largely sapped from her intense orgasms, Cortana managed a smile back at him, while her body started to quiver ever so slightly from the residual euphoria.

Looking down at her husband, Cortana gave him a look; one that John had no trouble at all interpreting. Many couples, particularly those who were deeply in love with each other, had a tendency to develop a bond strong enough that verbal communication was not always necessary; the two could always seem to read what the other was feeling, usually by the look on their face. John and Cortana were definitely not an exception to this rule. In fact, they often joked that their bond ran much deeper than most, if for no other reason than the fact that she once spent so much time – more or less literally – in his head, due to her occupying his helmet's neural lace when she was an AI. Whether or not that was the case, the two of them always seemed to know what the other was feeling.

And right now, Cortana's meaning was very obvious for John: she had thoroughly enjoyed their foreplay, but she could not wait any longer; she wanted – needed – him inside her _now!_ And he was only too happy to comply.

Spreading his wife's legs further apart, John repositioned himself so that his waist was level with hers, the hardened nine inches of his organ in line with her moistened – almost inviting – opening. Gently rubbing the tip of his manhood against her slit, allowing it to part the folds, he slowly eased the shaft inside her all the way to the hilt, allowing every inch of him to be enclosed within her warmth.

Cortana let out another moan, this time longer and slightly louder than before, as she felt her husband's manhood slide all the way inside her, where it rested for a couple of seconds before John began thrusting in and out, slowly and gently at first, then gradually becoming faster and more intense. As the pace quickened, her moans also increased in pitch and frequency, urging her husband on with his thrusts.

Revelling in the sensations, Cortana simply let her body go limp and react to what she was feeling. Placing her arms above her head, she felt her hands clenching and unclenching almost of their own accord as she felt the highs and lows of pleasure ripple through her form. Tossing her head from side to side, she began uttering John's name in breathy tones, and this only spurred the Spartan on and encouraged him to increase his pace. Instinctively, the former AI wrapped her slender legs around his waist, almost as if to urge him to drive deeper and harder with his actions.

Simply laying back, Cortana was more than willing to let John assume the dominant role for this particular encounter; something that did not bother her one bit. Still, she was pleasantly surprised when John suddenly changed things. Pausing briefly in his thrusting, the Spartan gently pulled her upwards so that the two of them were in a sitting position, but still intimately joined together. The end result was that John was sitting on the bed, with Cortana sitting in his lap, facing him, his hardened manhood still inside her, and the two of them had their arms wrapped around each other.

The Spartan and the former AI smiled at each other. This was a position that they had not used much before – only a couple of times, truth be told – but they could see why many couples liked it; it certainly allowed them to gaze deeply into each other's eyes while they made love, and that brought a new level to their intimacy.

Sharing a brief, but very passionate, kiss, they persisted with their lovemaking; John gently thrusting upward and Cortana beginning to bounce in his lap, with the combined action allowing her to slide up and down his shaft with ease and ardour. Their lips still locked, Cortana's first few moans were swallowed by John, but after a few seconds, she pulled her lips away from his, leaning her head back and gasping in pleasure as the sensations which began to wrack her body once more. Leaning forward, her husband lowered her lips to her neck and began planting more kisses upon it, which served only to add to her already considerable pleasure.

Acting almost as one with their thrusting and bouncing, the Spartan and former Artificial Intelligence, now husband and wife, continued with their incredibly intimate embrace, feeling only each other and the wondrous sensations they were feeling. John's arms, strong enough to bench press a car, were now wrapped around Cortana's back and holding her to him with a grip that was strong and firm as well as careful and gentle. It was a feeling that she had experienced so many times; one that showed how delicately he treated her, yet was strong enough that she stood little chance of ever breaking free of it. Of course, she would never even think of doing that! There was nowhere she felt more comfortable and safe than in the arms of her beloved.

Holding each other closely, John and Cortana's hearts practically beat as one; a feeling made more intense by their close proximity with each other as her sizeable mounds were now pressed up against his muscular chest. Sitting atop his crossed legs with her own ones wrapped tightly around his waist, her arms around his muscled neck and his holding her slim waist, the couple moved practically as one entity in their lovemaking. The whole world could have been collapsing around them at that moment, and they would not have noticed, nor would they have probably cared. All that mattered to the two of them was each other.

Bringing her head back down, Cortana locked her gaze with John. Looking deeply into his deep, dark eyes, she saw a wild maelstrom of emotions and sensations; pure love for her, amazement at what the two of them had been through together, and the fact that they were here now, joined in a way that could not be broken, and a certain animal instinct that told her that her husband was slowly but surely approaching his own orgasm. Cortana was feeling the same sensation deep within her being, and she was certain that John would have also been able to tell by looking into her bright blue eyes.

Acting almost on pure animalistic instinct, John and Cortana sped up their joined movements, thrusting and bouncing faster and more intensely than before, determined to bring themselves to the peak at the same time. Many couples had an unfortunate problem where one would climax early, leaving the other one unsatisfied. The Spartan and former AI never had this problem though; the bond they possessed with each other ran far too deep for anything like that to happen. They always seemed to reach the absolute zenith of their ecstasy at the same time, even if it took more than one climax to do so.

Moving at an almost frantic pace now, one which seemed to match the intense feelings of pure desire and wanting that the couple felt within them, John and Cortana edged ever closer to their peak, each one sensing not just their own pleasure, but that of their soul mate; a connection that seemed about as intimate as it could have gotten. Never once did they break eye contact. It was as if by holding this look, they could gaze into each other's very souls and witness the turmoil of emotions and ecstasy within; the very animal instinct that gave way to a desire for absolute intimacy, which they shared with each other and nobody else.

As John and Cortana reached the peak of their combined climax, they instinctively locked lips in a passionate kiss that was as intense as the welling physical sensations within their beings. As they finally orgasmed – separately, but also nearly as one – their cries of joy mingled together in their kiss, effectively fusing together into one long expression of absolute ecstasy, bliss and euphoria.

It was as if at that moment, John and Cortana had ceased – at least temporarily – to be two separate forms, and were now one that was joined together in a bond as intimate as it could have possibly been; one that they reserved for each other alone. The Spartan and the former Artificial Intelligence, now husband and wife. Partners in war, now partners in life. Partners in every possible respect.

* * *

John and Cortana lay together, simply basking in the afterglow of their intense lovemaking. Sometimes, the two would engage in a little pillow talk, and other times, they simply lay with their arms around each other, merely enjoying each other's presence in silence. This particular occasion fell into the latter category.

Resting her head against John's well-toned chest, Cortana listened to the dull thudding of his heartbeat once more. Usually after making love, she would lie like this and let the sound lull her into a gentle sleep. She sometimes found it kind of odd how an organ that was vital to people staying alive could also put her at ease in such a way, but it did not matter to her in the slightest. It was just one more way that reminded her exactly how much John meant to her.

To the rest of humanity – or at least most of them; the ones affiliated with the UNSC, anyway – the man called the Master Chief represented the very image of the heroic Spartans; the legendary warriors who saved the human race and were larger than life in almost every regard. To the small percentage of humans who rejected the UNSC and were likely connected to the Insurrectionists, the Master Chief personified the oppression that they always seemed to be getting away from. The Covenant saw him as a demon, a terrifying creature seemingly spawned from their version of hell, given flesh to wreak havoc upon them. And to the Didact and his Promethean watchdogs, the Spartan was a manifestation of the upstart human race that he despised so much, even after one hundred millennia. Fortunately, that particular bastard was dead, so they didn't have to worry about him anymore.

But to Cortana, he was simply John. He was the man who had been her partner for years, and had stayed with her through thick and thin. The one who raised hell against their enemies, but was willing to drop everything to help her out. The man who saved her, not once, but twice; first on High Charity and then after he thought she died on the Composer. He would have gone to the very edge of the galaxy and even beyond in order to save her, and would have rather died than leave her in the hands of some nefarious foe the likes of Gravemind or the Didact.

He was her soul mate, in every sense of the word. And although John was not the kind of person to shout such a proclamation from the rooftops, she knew that he felt the exact same way about her. And that meant more to her than anything else.

"Penny for your thoughts?" John said. Cortana looked up at him with a smile. It was no surprise that he picked up on the fact that her mind was constantly on the move; not that it was particularly hard to do so, as her mind always seemed to be.

"Just thinking about us," Cortana answered. "We've had a pretty good run together, haven't we?"

"No argument here," John added with a small laugh. "Reach, Halo, New Mombasa, the other Halo, High Charity, the Ark, Requiem… the list goes on. And you've been with me every step of the way. No, I cannot think of someone better for me to have a future with."

"Oh really?" Cortana asked challengingly, although her tone clearly indicated she was being more playful than serious. "What about Kelly or Linda? They're fellow Spartans, and have been with you much longer than I have."

"True," John admitted. "But they're more like sisters to me, and I wouldn't want to jeopardise that relationship with them."

"What about Sarah Palmer?" Cortana challenged even further.

John knew full well that his wife was simply being playful, so he decided to indulge her. "Another Spartan and a fine soldier. Sure, we probably might have made a good team on the battlefield, but as for romantically… nah. Our personalities would have clashed too much."

"Your childhood friend, Parisa?"

John was slightly serious in this next answer. "You know that I've reconnected with her and re-established our friendship, but she's moved on and found someone who she loves. I wouldn't want to spoil that, and I also made it clear how much you mean to me. We're good."

Cortana beamed at this before continuing. "I'm glad to hear that. Now… what about Serin Osman?"

"The ONI head bitch who placed a hit on your mother? I'd be more inclined to give her a bullet than flowers!"

"I'm touched. I really am. Okay, what about… the Librarian?"

"Now you're just reaching."

"My mother?"

"Gross. Please stop!"

Unable to hold it in any longer, Cortana gave a laugh; one that John could not help but get drawn into. The couple shared the mirth for a few seconds before relaxing into each other's arms once more.

"No, trust me on this, Cortana," John said, his seriousness offset slightly by the warm smile he gave her, "there could _never_ have been anyone for me other than you, and I mean that with every fibre of my being. I love you completely and entirely, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Cortana smiled warmly. "And I feel the same way about you, John," she said. Leaning up, she planted another loving kiss on her husband's lips, the two of them once more enjoying the simple pleasure they got from being in such close proximity with each other. Afterwards, Cortana leaned against his muscled form once again.

Unbidden, a thought entered the mind of the former Artificial Intelligence. It was something that she had been mulling over for the past few months, initially as little more than a passing thought. But as the wedding drew closer and closer, and the very prospect of spending the rest of her life with John became all the more tangible, she found herself wondering more and more on it. It was something which every couple considered at more than one point in their relationship. Cortana herself had not figured that she was one to think such thoughts, but one the idea took root, it was almost impossible to dislodge. The only problem she faced now was how and when to pose the question to John.

"You're still thinking about something, aren't you?"

At this comment from her husband, Cortana looked up at him. Not surprised that he had picked up on her constantly-active thought patterns – again! – she thought for a moment that she should just dismiss the topic and tell him not to worry about it, but changed her mind almost instantly. Firstly, he would always be able to tell when she was mulling something over, and secondly, she was planning to tell him eventually. Sure, she had opted to pose the question later on, most likely after the honeymoon, but now she figured that there was no time like the present.

"Actually, yes, there is something that I've been meaning to ask you. It's a topic that I've been thinking about on and off for a while now, but I wasn't sure how to ask you about it."

"Cortana," John said pointedly, "you've always been one to simply speak your mind; it's one of the reasons why I love you so much. If you want to ask me something, then just ask it."

Cortana smiled a little bit at his encouragement before continuing. "Okay. I was wondering how you would feel about the prospect of us having children one day."

John's eyebrows shot raised at this. From what Cortana could tell by his reaction, he was surprised, but not _that_ surprised. The Spartan blinked a couple of times and looked around a little bit; a reaction commonly employed by people when they were thinking something over before giving an answer. Rather than push him, Cortana simply let her husband muse before replying.

When John responded, his voice was slow and measured, as if he was thinking every word through before verbalising it. "Well, I have to admit that I have not given it that much of a thought. What made you bring this up?"

"I just wanted to know where you stood on it. I mean, if you haven't thought about it, then…"

John interrupted her, his voice soft, gentle and full of affection. "Hey, I said I haven't thought about it _that much_; that doesn't mean I haven't thought about it _at all_, because I have, at times. To be honest, I'm actually surprised that you were contemplating it."

Cortana looked up at him with one of her eyebrows raised. "Me? Why?"

John started to explain. "Well, no offence, but you've never really showed any maternal instincts or predisposition towards having children before; none that I've noticed, at least. If I were to make a guess, I'd say it's because, even though you are now human and our relationship is much different to what it once was, there is still a very small part of me which sees you as how you were when we first met; as an Artificial Intelligence. And let's face it: they're not inclined to think about procreating, if only because they don't have physical bodies."

"True, I guess," Cortana admitted. "But then, I never had to wonder about sexual relationships either, and that all changed when I became human. When you think about it, the whole children issue probably falls into the same category."

"No argument here," John agreed. A moment later, a sneaky grin broke out on his face. "In fact, I'd say they're closely tied together, since one leads to the other!" At this, Cortana burst out laughing, the wondrous sound of it prompting John's grin to widen.

"Too true!" the former AI exclaimed after she had managed to catch back her breath. "In fact, if it weren't for contraceptives, you probably would have knocked me up long ago!"

At this, John could not help chuckling, his deep baritone reverberating through his chest, allowing Cortana to feel the vibrations as she lay against him. In all likelihood, the reason why the two of them found that particular comment so hilarious was because it had a definite kernel of truth to it. Since their first encounter on the other beach – getting close to two years ago at this point – they had made love so many times that both had long since lost count, not that either of them cared. Had it not been for the incredible efforts made in the field of contraceptives, then chances are Cortana would indeed have gotten pregnant a while back.

But now, the former AI had time to take stock of her life and relationship with John. She knew that she loved him completely and unquestioningly, and that he felt the same way about her. Despite any ups and downs that had happened in the past and would almost certainly happen again in the future – no relationship was without them in some form – the two of them knew that they would come through it all together. Their bond was simply too strong for them to fail.

So, in a way, it made perfect sense for Cortana to be wondering if children were in their future. John was her soul mate, and the prospect of having his children was not unappealing at all. She also knew that, despite any doubts he may have, he would be a good father.

After their laughter died down, Cortana continued with her explanation. "Anyway, if I had to give a reason, I'd say it's because I hear people talking about their kids, and saying that, even though things are not always prefect, it is still worth it in the end, and they would not trade it for anything. Besides, my mother sees Miranda and I as her legacy, and I kind of like the idea of keeping it going."

John nodded. "That's true, I suppose," he agreed. He had to admit that the idea of allowing a his legacy – his and Cortana's combined legacy, actually – living on through the children that the two of them had together was enough to give him a positive sensation within his being.

Another thought crossed his mind, causing him to pause in his musing. He looked down at his wife. "They're not encouraging you and I to procreate so we can give them grandchildren and nieces and nephews to spoil, are they?" he asked.

"Maybe," Cortana answered whimsically.

"Thought as much," he grunted. Leave it to Doctor Halsey to bring something like that into the equation. Despite the different natures in how Cortana and Miranda had come into existence, the good doctor considered them both to be her daughters, and loved them unconditionally. Sure, there had been some unpleasantness with Miranda, but they had managed to put all of that in that past, where it belonged.

Naturally, it had come as no surprise whatsoever that Doctor Halsey managed to figure out that John and Cortana had engaged in a physical relationship almost immediately after it began; very little got past her, and she knew the two of them better than perhaps anybody else. More than once, she had made a comment to the former AI to be careful with their relationship, as she was 'not quite ready to be a grandmother yet'. Obviously, these blunt comments always shocked and flustered Cortana, which provided her mother no end of amusement. Miranda followed the same pattern, teasing her sister about this. Of course, there was never any malice involved from any of the three women; it was simply them establishing a close bond between a mother and her two daughters, which they had been deprived of for too long.

But in the end, it was plain to see that Catherine Halsey would dote upon any of her grandchildren. To this day, she felt guilt over what she had been forced to do to the Spartans; taking them away from their families, replacing them with clones, then subjecting them to a life of hardship. Sure, the Spartans had been extremely instrumental in defeating the Covenant and saving the human race, but that did little to assuage Halsey's guilt. In a way, being a grandmother, and one who would protect her grandchildren to the very end, was almost a second chance for her. One that she would not ruin. John and Cortana both believed this firmly, just as they believed in the doctor herself.

John continued talking. "Still, I suppose it is a nice thought. People always see me as the Master Chief who saved humanity multiple times, is larger than life, and so on. I guess it would be a nice change of pace to simply be a husband and father."

The Spartan paused for a moment, and when he began talking again, his voice was almost reflective. "I've taken a lot of lives out of this universe. Maybe I can help bring at least one into it. I just hope I can be a good father."

Cortana smiled up at him. "I'm sure you will. If we have a son, he will probably want to be just like you, and also want to ride around on your shoulders, like most kids do. And if we have a daughter, just wait until she's old enough to date, so you can scare off any potential boyfriends." Her voice and smile took on decidedly teasing overtones.

"Very funny," John remarked dryly. "I can just imagine that our kids will be a combination of the two of us: physically strong, unbelievably intelligent, and more than a little bit lucky. Not to mention prone to getting into plenty of trouble that they only just manage to get out of!" At this, Cortana let out another laugh, which John could not help getting drawn into; it _was_ pretty funny, after all.

His features then softened, and when he spoke next, his tone was just as gentle; a position that he frequently took with her, and was an absolute contrast to the actions he undertook on the battlefield. "Still, I think that, whatever our children are, you will be a great mother to them."

It was a very simple comment, but one which conveyed the sheer amount of love and affection that the Spartan felt towards the former Artificial Intelligence. She had heard and felt this love from him so many times in the past, but it always produced the same feeling; a fluttering sensation within the core of her physical being that seemed to reach out and touch all places of her, right down into the entirety of her very soul. When she had been a simple hologram, Cortana could project her avatar so that she seemed to be hovering in the air, but that was little more than programming which allowed her to do that. When John showed her how much he truly loved her, her body may have remained firmly on the ground, but her spirit seemed to soar higher than it could have ever gone.

The science used by the UNSC may have made her flesh and bone, but only John made her feel _alive!_ It was a notion which she had not understood, since it lacked the traditional logic she was used to, but now, she could not imagine her life without it. Without him.

Leaning up, Cortana placed a simple kiss on her husband's lips. "Thank you, John," she said in response to his comment. But deep down, she almost felt as if she was thanking him for everything. There were many who claimed that a perfect relationship did not exist, but she could not help feeling as though theirs came pretty damn close. And she knew he felt the same way.

Relaxing against John's muscular form, she looked up at him with a smile and a playful gleam in her electric blue eyes. "You know what?" she said. "That's for the future. The near future, sure, but the future, nonetheless. At this moment, why don't we enjoy our honeymoon, then see where life takes us?"

John grinned back at her. "That sounds like the best plan I have heard in a long time." With that, he pulled her towards him for another kiss.

* * *

**Damn, that was long! In fact, I think it was the longest chapter I've ever done in any fic! I don't know what possessed me! I just kept writing and just put everything that came into my head into this chapter! Also, I usually end after the climax (so to speak!) but this time, I devoted the last third or so simply to their pillow talk. And since many of you asked about Cortana getting pregnant, or at least bring up the subject, I figured I'd go with that. Thanks for the inspiration, guys and girls!**

**And I am SO sorry that it took so long to put this up, but I kept suffering from so much writer's block. Well, okay, not for the last week or so; I was playing **_**Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag**_**, which is thoroughly addictive (seriously, how does Ubisoft keep doing it?).**

**Anyway, I'm just hoping that you all enjoyed this chapter, just as many of you have enjoyed 'On the Beach'. It pains me to say this, but I'm afraid that this will be the last chapter. There will be another posting after this, but it will be just an author's note, not be a chapter.**


	16. To the Readers, From the Author

**To the Readers, from the Author**

* * *

And so, after fifteen chapters, my 'On the Beach' fan fiction finally comes to an end. This is not another chapter, but rather I decided to give a message to all of those who took the time to read and critique it.

I wanted to thank each and every one of you for your support on this story. Originally I intended for it to be nothing more than a one shot, but after I got rave reviews on the first chapter, I decided to make it an ongoing series instead. So it was all of you who encouraged me to do that, and for that I think you should give yourselves a bit pat on the back!

Originally, I never thought I would be able to write a smut fic, but the idea formed in my head after reading an article in ZOO Magazine (I don't read them anymore, but I got lots of enjoyment out of them when I did!). In those types of mags, they always have beautiful women gracing the cover, and every now and then, they have articles of their love lives. I have long since come to the conclusion that many of those stories are most likely made up simply for the sake of telling interesting stories and selling more magazines. In all honesty, it would probably be better if they were made up, as it does not engender the most positive image of them.

Anyway, in one story, the model in question (a gorgeous brunette, by the way!) was telling about a time when she was doing some nude sunbathing on the beach, and was approached by an attractive male surfer, and the two of them headed into the dunes for some loving, with him laying her down on his surfboard, apparently. I doubt that's true, but if it is, well, her having sex with a complete stranger… you draw your own conclusion.

Despite my initial jealousy (she _was_ very attractive, this model) I figured that the story _was_ false, made up just to increase interest in the magazine.

Regardless, it nonetheless spawned this little idea in my head, and I found myself thinking about how it would be if John came across a now-human Cortana in similar circumstances. Originally, I was unsure, then I decided "what the hell! I'll write a fanfic about it!". I did not know how readers would react to it, but I was amazed and pleased when I saw the overwhelmingly positive reviews for it. So when some of you requested (in some cases, demanded) some more chapters, I figured I might as well give it a shot.

The end result was this fic that you have been reading, and the great feeling of satisfaction that I feel when I see the reviews you give. Sure, there's bound to be some out there who think negatively about it, and they were simply too polite to post, but even if they did, I don't think I'd mind too much. The fact that you took time out of your lives to read gives me a warm feeling inside. Do not underestimate the power of support, my friends!

And so, I sign off this fic for the last time. Even though 'On the Beach' now comes to an end, I may decide to write some more stories to post in the future. Some of them may be 'Halo', but they could also be something entirely different. But chances are that it will be quite a long time before I do any of this, as I am now attempting to focus all of my energies on my own original writing, since I am aiming to become a professional author in the very near future. Sadly, this will draw my attention away from fanfic, but nonetheless, I will never forget the enjoyment I felt when writing it or, more significantly, reading your amazing reviews.

So thank you all for your support, my friends. True fans are a lot like Spartans; they never die, they just go to Hell and regroup!

Take care,

FuryanJedi13


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